Princeton faces multiple lawsuits after disclosing cybersecurity breach involving student and alumni data
Princeton University is facing three lawsuits after it disclosed a cybersecurity breach that raised concerns about how personal data linked to students, faculty, alumni, and donors was handled and protected. The cases, now merged into one, come at a time when several Ivy League universities are dealing with similar data security incidents.The breach was first made public by the University in November. According to Princeton, there is no evidence so far that sensitive details such as Social Security numbers, passwords, or credit card information were leaked. Still, the disclosure has led to legal action and wider questions about data protection in higher education.
What Princeton disclosed about the breach
On December 5, Princeton’s Office of Information Technology issued a follow-up update about the incident, which occurred in early November. As reported by the Daily Princetonian, the breach involved an individual gaining unauthorised access to a University Advancement database. This database contains information connected to students, faculty members, alumni, and donors.The University said it found no direct evidence that highly sensitive personal or financial information was exposed. Following the incident, faculty and staff were given additional guidance on spotting phishing attempts and maintaining system security.Princeton has also stated that the November 10 incident was not related to other recent cyberattacks reported across Ivy League campuses.
Lawsuits filed and later merged
The first lawsuit was filed on November 18 by David Ramirez in the US District Court for the District of New Jersey. According to details reported by the Daily Princetonian, Ramirez alleged that Princeton failed to put adequate security measures in place to protect its affiliates’ data.The lawsuit describes the potentially accessed information as a “gold mine” and accuses the University of negligence and breach of contract. Ramirez is seeking relief for himself and a proposed class of about 100,000 people. The demands include compensation for monetary losses, injunctive relief, and the return of any alleged profits.On the same day, Henggao Cai filed a separate lawsuit. A third suit was filed by Gary Penna on November 24.On December 9, Judge Robert Kirsch ordered that all three cases be consolidated into a single master lawsuit. The lead case is now titled Ramirez v. Princeton University, with the Cai and Penna cases listed as member cases under it.
Princeton’s response so far
The law firms representing the plaintiffs did not respond to multiple requests for comment, according to the Daily Princetonian.In a statement to the student newspaper, Princeton spokesperson Jennifer Morrill said the University “believes these claims are without merit, and we plan to contest them vigorously.”At present, the legal process is still in its early stages, and no court findings have been made on the merits of the claims.
A wider pattern across Ivy League campuses
The Princeton case is part of a broader pattern of cybersecurity incidents reported across Ivy League universities in recent months.In late November, Harvard University disclosed that a phone-based phishing attack allowed an unauthorised party to access systems used by its Alumni Affairs and Development Office. Harvard said the breach was contained quickly and did not involve passwords or financial information. However, it has already led to one unresolved class-action lawsuit.The University of Pennsylvania reported a breach in late October that was more severe. Attackers accessed and released large volumes of personal data, including bank transaction information and internal documents. This incident has resulted in eight lawsuits against the University.Dartmouth College also disclosed a cybersecurity incident this fall, linked to a vulnerability in Oracle software. The breach exposed sensitive information, including Social Security numbers and financial account data. While no lawsuits have been filed yet, law firm Lynch Carpenter, LLP has said it is investigating potential claims.Over the summer, Columbia University faced a cyberattack that disrupted IT systems for several days and affected nearly 870,000 servers. Sensitive information, including citizenship data and Social Security numbers, was compromised. A related class-action lawsuit was settled in September, with Columbia University Irving Medical Center paying $600,000 to plaintiffs.As universities rely more heavily on digital systems, these cases show how quickly a breach can turn into a legal and reputational challenge. For students and alumni, they also underline why data security has become a central issue in campus governance.This report is based on inputs from an original story published by the Daily Princetonian, with additional context for readers.
