Feb 21, 2008 : Harvard University Website Hacked

📅 February 21, 2008 - Harvard University's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website was hacked into on Sunday with some of its database files made available on a peer-to-peer file sharing network.


According to reports, the intruders posted a zip file that contained a directory structure for the website as well as the logins and passwords for some of the system's administrators. There was also a note attached to the file that mocked Harvard's alleged lack of security on its server.

As of Wednesday the website was still offline while computing officials at the graduate school investigated the incident. Despite sensitive information getting leaked, officials say that no personal information about the students or professors was obtained by the hackers.

It is believed that as of Monday afternoon, the compromised file was being distributed by 11 users, or "seeders," and was being downloaded by nine "leechers."