Introduction

Columbia University has confirmed a significant data breach affecting 868,969 individuals, including 2,026 residents from Maine. This incident is one of the largest data breaches in the higher education sector in recent years. The breach, classified as an 'external system breach (hacking),' occurred between May 16 and June 6, 2025, and was discovered on July 8, 2025. Let's delve into the details of this breach and the subsequent response by Columbia University.