FBI investigates Columbia University breach

Suspected cyberattack disrupts Columbia’s digital infrastructure

Columbia University, one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions in the United States, is currently grappling with a major IT outage following a suspected cyberattack. The disruption has left critical systems inaccessible and forced the university to shut down key online services.

A campus brought to a halt

The incident began on Sunday, June 23, when students and faculty reported widespread access issues across the university's digital platforms. By Monday, Columbia had confirmed a systemwide outage affecting everything from internal communications to student portals.

In a statement, the university said it is “investigating a cybersecurity incident that is impacting our systems.” While the nature of the attack has not been confirmed, the scale of the disruption suggests a targeted intrusion, possibly ransomware or network compromise.

Classes and operations disrupted

The outage has already had a significant impact on campus operations. Columbia has warned that email, course materials, and administrative functions may be inaccessible for an extended period. In response, some professors have postponed classes or resorted to alternative communication platforms.

Students have expressed frustration and confusion online, with many relying on unofficial updates to stay informed. Columbia’s main website also experienced downtime, compounding the communication challenges.

FBI reportedly involved

According to The New York Times, the FBI has been contacted and is reportedly assisting in the investigation. If confirmed as a cyberattack, this would mark one of the most disruptive digital incidents in higher education this year.

Universities remain attractive targets for cybercriminals due to the vast amounts of personal data, intellectual property, and research they store — often with complex and sometimes outdated IT infrastructure.

A growing trend in education sector attacks

This suspected attack on Columbia follows a rising trend of cyberattacks on educational institutions. Just this year, several universities across the U.S. and Europe have reported ransomware incidents, phishing campaigns, and data breaches. The education sector, with its large user base and decentralized security policies, remains highly vulnerable.

Learn more about how ransomware works and why it’s become a preferred method for targeting schools and universities in our guide on ransomware here. You can also explore how phishing attacks often act as the entry point for larger breaches in this article. And if you're unsure what a data breach actually involves, you can read more about it here.

Ongoing investigation

At the time of writing, Columbia has not confirmed whether any personal or financial data has been compromised. The university continues to work with law enforcement and cybersecurity experts to investigate the incident and restore systems.