Imagine waking up to the news that one of the world’s most prestigious institutions has fallen victim to a cyberattack. Harvard University is currently under the microscope after a notorious cybercrime group threatened to release stolen data, sparking a full-scale investigation. But here’s where it gets even more unsettling: this isn’t an isolated incident. It’s part of a larger, coordinated attack targeting a vulnerability in a widely used software system, leaving countless organizations at risk.
The story began when Clop, a Russian-speaking cybercrime organization known for extorting companies by threatening to release stolen data, announced the breach on its leak site over the weekend. This group has a history of high-profile attacks, including a 2019 incident where they locked Maastricht University out of its systems until a €200,000 ransom was paid. More recently, Clop infiltrated the MoveIt software in 2023, compromising over 2,773 organizations and raking in an estimated $75 million. Their latest target? Harvard, alongside potentially hundreds of other companies using the Oracle E-Business system.
Harvard’s IT department, HUIT, confirmed they were ‘aware’ of the breach but initially downplayed its impact, stating it affected only a ‘limited number of parties’ within a small administrative unit. They quickly applied a patch to address the vulnerability and reported no further compromise to other systems. But this is the part most people miss: the attack on Oracle’s system likely began as early as July, according to investigations by Google Threat Intelligence Group and Mandiant. Over 100 companies were targeted before Oracle intervened, and Clop managed to exfiltrate significant amounts of data from several victims.
And this is where it gets controversial: Oracle initially identified the vulnerability in an October 2 statement, claiming it had been addressed in a July update. However, just two days later, they backtracked, revealing additional vulnerabilities and issuing a new patch. This raises questions about the effectiveness of their initial response and whether more could have been done to prevent widespread damage. Did Oracle act swiftly enough? Or did their delay contribute to the scale of the attack? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Clop went public with the attack in late September, contacting hundreds of executives and demanding payment to keep the stolen data private. Oracle declined to comment further on Monday, referring instead to their latest security advisory. Meanwhile, Harvard’s investigation continues, leaving many to wonder: How secure are our institutions, and what more can be done to protect sensitive data?
This incident isn’t just about Harvard or Oracle—it’s a stark reminder of the growing threat of cybercrime and the vulnerabilities lurking in even the most trusted systems. What’s your take? Are companies doing enough to safeguard their data, or is it only a matter of time before the next big breach? Let us know in the comments below.
For more updates, follow staff writer Elise A. Spenner at elise.spenner@thecrimson.com or on X @EliseSpenner, and Abigail S. Gerstein at abigail.gerstein@thecrimson.com or on X @abbysgerstein.
