Hackers leaked Harvard alumni and donor data on 851,000 accounts

Hackers who broke into Harvard University's alumni and fundraising systems have leaked personal data linked to about 851,000 email addresses. The breach site Have I Been Pwned confirmed the number on Tuesday after studying the leaked files. If you attended Harvard, gave money to it, or are a Harvard parent, your details may be out there.

What happened

Harvard found the break-in on November 18, 2025. The attackers got into the systems of its Alumni Affairs and Development office. Harvard refused to pay a ransom. In early February, the hackers then posted a 1.1GB archive of stolen documents on their dark web leak site, a hidden website where criminals publish stolen data.

What was exposed

Have I Been Pwned said the data covers donors, alumni, parents and some faculty, staff and students. Harvard's own notice listed several types of information. The leaked material included:

• Names and email addresses
• Dates of birth and phone numbers
• Home and business addresses
• Social media profiles
• Event attendance records and donation details

Harvard's chief information officer, Klara Jelinkova, said the hacked systems did not store Social Security numbers, passwords, payment card information or financial information. That limits the damage, but the details that did leak are enough to make a scam look real.

Who is behind it

Harvard has not named the attackers. A group called ShinyHunters, which extorts organizations by threatening to publish stolen data, claimed responsibility. It said it took more than 1 million records with identifiable information and donation data. Harvard could not say how many people were affected when BleepingComputer first asked.

What to do

• Search your email address on Have I Been Pwned to see if it appears.
• Be wary of messages that mention your Harvard ties or past gifts.
• Do not click links or give details to unexpected callers. Contact Harvard through a number you look up yourself.
• Treat urgent requests for money or a donation change with extra suspicion.

A wider pattern

Harvard is not alone. Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania also disclosed breaches in November 2025, and both confirmed that donor information was accessed. In October 2025, Harvard also said it was investigating a separate incident after the Clop ransomware gang claimed it used a flaw in Oracle E-Business Suite software to get in.