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University of Pennsylvania Data Breach Investigation
Shamis & Gentile P.A., one of the nation's premier class action law firms specializing in data breach cases, is investigating the University of Pennsylvania data breach.
If you were affected by the data breach, your sensitive personally identifiable information may have been exposed, and you may be eligible for compensation.
About University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania, often referred to as Penn or UPenn, is a private Ivy League research university located in Philadelphia. Founded in 1740 by Benjamin Franklin, it is one of the oldest higher education institutions in the United States.
Penn is home to four undergraduate schools and twelve graduate and professional schools, including the Wharton School of Business, School of Engineering and Applied Science and School of Nursing.
The university employs more than 16,000 people and enrolls over 21,000 students.
What Happened?
In late October 2025, the University of Pennsylvania experienced a significant data breach. On Oct. 31, 2025, the university discovered that a hacker had accessed multiple internal systems by compromising an employee’s PennKey SSO account.
The breach allowed unauthorized access to Penn’s VPN, Salesforce data, analytics platforms and internal files.
According to reports, the hacker claimed to have obtained data on approximately 1.2 million students, alumni and donors. Offensive emails were sent to hundreds of thousands of recipients using Penn’s mailing list platform, and the attacker posted samples of the stolen data online to prove the breach.
Types of information reportedly exposed:
- Names
- Dates of birth
- Addresses and phone numbers
- Financial and demographic information, including estimated net worth and donation history
- Race
- Religion
- Sexual orientation
The university has referred the incident to the FBI and is working with law enforcement and technical experts to investigate. Penn published a cybersecurity incident notice along with FAQs on its website on Nov. 4, 2025.
Your Rights and Next Steps
If you suspect your information may have been compromised, it is important to take action. Data breaches can put individuals at risk for identity theft, phishing scams and other forms of fraud.
Stolen information like names, addresses and sensitive demographic details can be used to target individuals for scams or unauthorized activity.
Lawyers are ready to help those affected by the University of Pennsylvania data breach. If you were impacted, you may have the right to seek compensation for any harm or risk you have experienced.
This can include reimbursement for costs related to credit monitoring, identity theft protection, or any financial losses resulting from the breach.
You May Be Entitled to Compensation
If you were affected by the University of Pennsylvania data breach, you may be eligible for compensation. Lawyers are actively investigating claims and are prepared to help you understand your rights and options.
Completing the below form is the first step to joining a lawsuit and seeking the compensation you deserve.
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