University of Copenhagen Confirms Data Breach Affecting 525,000 Individuals
The University of Copenhagen in Denmark confirmed that hackers accessed one of its test environments containing personal data belonging to 525,000 people.
The breach was detected on October 24, and the university disclosed it on October 26. An update revealed that an additional 20,000 staff and students had their PIN codes exposed.
“The University of Copenhagen has confirmed a cyber attack in which hackers gained access to one of the university’s test environments,” the university stated.
Founded in 1479, the University of Copenhagen is Denmark’s oldest university and a leading research institution, with approximately 36,800 students and 10,700 employees across six faculties and more than 200 research centers.
The university is currently investigating the breach to assess its full impact. It warned that the exposed data may include:
- Full names
- National identity numbers (CPR)
- Phone numbers
- Email addresses
This exposure increases the risk of phishing and social engineering attacks.
In response to the PIN access exposure, the University of Copenhagen has restricted physical access to certain critical areas on its campus and is gradually reopening them as new access codes are distributed.
The university has contained the attack and blocked the hacker’s access. There is currently no indication that systems supporting daily operations were accessed or that university activities were disrupted.
The incident has been reported to the Danish Data Protection Agency and falls under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The university is taking appropriate steps with relevant regulators.
Students and staff whose data may have been compromised are advised to be cautious of unsolicited communications and to verify requests independently.
The university plans to provide further updates on the situation as its internal investigation progresses.
Source: BleepingComputer