Alleged U Penn Hacker Claims They’re in It for Money
A person claiming to be behind the University of Pennsylvania hack has clarified their intentions, stating they are “in it for the money,” not “primarily anti-DEI.” The alleged hacker told The Verge that the group obtained around 1.2 million lines of donor and internal data, which they plan to sell before any public release. Their comments come after speculation that the breach was part of an ideological campaign against diversity and inclusion policies at major universities.
What Did the Alleged U Penn Hacker Actually Steal?
According to reports, the stolen data includes donor information such as emails, phone numbers, addresses, and donation histories — some of which were verified by The Verge. The hacker also shared that the goal was to access the “wealthy donor database” rather than expose university policies. Despite the leak including documents related to former President Liz Magill’s congressional testimony, the hacker dismissed earlier anti-DEI messages as a “fun rant.”
How Is the University of Pennsylvania Responding?
Penn officials have confirmed they are investigating the data breach and have reported it to the FBI. The university’s media relations head, Ron Ozio, has not provided additional details, but internal statements confirm efforts to assess the scope of the compromise. The attack follows other recent university breaches, including one at Columbia University, raising concerns over cyberattacks targeting educational institutions.
Why the Hacker Denies an Anti-DEI Agenda
Contrary to initial assumptions linking the group to anti-DEI motivations, the hacker emphasized that financial gain drives their actions. They claimed earlier messages mocking affirmative action were not representative of their primary intent. “Our main goal was to get the wealthy donor database,” they stated via Signal, distancing themselves from ideological cyberattacks that have hit other schools.
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