IL · AG Filing: Nov 11, 2025
No cost. No obligation. If your data was exposed by THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, you may be entitled to financial compensation.
Start Free Review →Based on the data types reported in this filing:
Your SSN is the master key to your identity. Once exposed, criminals can open new lines of credit, take out loans, or file taxes in your name.
Combined with a name and other leaked data, date of birth helps criminals pass identity verification questions at banks and government agencies.
THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA was the subject of a data breach notification filed with the IL Attorney General. The AG filing was recorded on November 11, 2025.
From the AG filing description
The University of Pennsylvania operates as one of the world's premier institutions of higher education and academic research, combining elite undergraduate and graduate instruction with a massive healthcare, medical research, and administrative enterprise. Because of its expansive institutional footprint, the University collects, processes, and stores an extraordinary volume of sensitive, high-value personally identifiable information. This repository includes comprehensive academic records, student financial aid details, faculty and staff employment files, and extensive healthcare data from individuals treated within its academic medical network. Consequently, the institution functions as a massive data custodian, maintaining records that span decades and encompass virtually every aspect of its students, employees, patients, and alumni's lives. In 2025, the University of Pennsylvania reported a major security incident to the Illinois Attorney General, joining a growing wave of higher education institutions targeted by sophisticated cybercriminal networks. Security incidents affecting large universities and research institutions typically involve unauthorized access to centralized administrative networks, compromise of legacy databases, or vulnerabilities introduced through third-party vendors and academic software platforms. These complex digital environments often contain vast, decentralized troves of data spread across various departments, making them prime targets for advanced persistent threat actors seeking to exfiltrate institutional files and personal records. The exposure resulting from this breach places affected individuals at severe, long-term risk of identity theft, financial fraud, and targeted phishing scams. Based on the scope of operations at an institution like the University of Pennsylvania, compromised records frequently include full names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, financial account details, student or employee identification numbers, and sensitive academic or employment documentation. When Social Security numbers and personal identifiers are leaked, cybercriminals can exploit this data to open fraudulent credit lines, file illicit tax returns, or compromise existing financial accounts. In an educational and research setting, the exposure of specialized records also creates unique risks regarding institutional privacy and personal autonomy. Under federal and state law, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), state consumer protection statutes, and common law duties, institutions like the University of Pennsylvania have an affirmative, non-delegable legal obligation to implement robust cybersecurity measures and safeguard the sensitive data entrusted to them. Collecting and retaining vast amounts of personal and financial information carries a corresponding duty to maintain modern encryption protocols, stringent access controls, and comprehensive network monitoring. A security breach of this magnitude strongly suggests potential failures in adhering to industry-standard data security practices, leaving the institution vulnerable to legal liability for failing to protect the individuals whose data was compromised. Receiving an official data breach notification letter from the University of Pennsylvania serves as formal legal acknowledgment that your confidential information was exposed due to institutional security failures. Under modern jurisprudence, this notification confirms that you have suffered a legally cognizable injury, granting you the standing necessary to participate in a class action lawsuit aimed at holding the university accountable. Importantly, affected individuals are not required to demonstrate actual financial loss or out-of-pocket theft to seek legal recourse; the increased risk of future harm and the time required for mitigation are sufficient grounds for action. Our firm evaluates these cases on a strict contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing and owe no legal fees unless we successfully recover compensation on your behalf. As a premier research university and massive employer operating across multiple states, the scale of this security breach highlights the systemic vulnerabilities inherent in large-scale institutional data management. The fallout extends far beyond a simple administrative inconvenience, threatening the financial security and personal privacy of thousands of Illinois residents and individuals nationwide. Holding institutions accountable through class action litigation is critical not only to secure appropriate compensation for affected class members, but also to compel universities and large enterprises to adopt rigorous, uncompromising data protection standards in the future.
You may have been affected by the THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA data breach if:
Common categories of compensation in data breach class actions
The hours spent responding to a data breach — canceling accounts, contacting credit bureaus, updating passwords, and investigating fraud — represent compensable economic harm in data breach litigation.
Once your SSN is exposed, protection becomes an ongoing expense. Plaintiffs in data breach settlements have recovered costs for credit freezes, identity protection subscriptions, and time spent dealing with fraudulent accounts — sometimes covering multiple years of exposure.
Fees charged to close and reopen accounts, issue replacement cards, or dispute fraudulent transactions are recoverable in data breach litigation. So are the costs of overdrafts, late payments, and credit damage caused by unauthorized activity.
Data breach victims regularly report anxiety, loss of sleep, and ongoing fear of identity theft. These non-economic harms are cognizable injuries in data breach litigation, particularly in cases involving SSN or medical record exposure.
Note: an attorney general breach filing does not by itself establish a settlement fund, a payment amount, or a claim deadline. If an official settlement notice is later issued, rely on that notice for payment details and deadlines.
Applicable State Law
This breach was reported under the Illinois Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), which mandates notification and establishes your right to seek damages.
No. Under Illinois Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) and federal law, the unauthorized exposure of your personal data — regardless of whether it has been actively misused — can be sufficient grounds for a claim. The breach itself is the injury.
Nothing. The Law Office of David S. Harris handles data breach cases on contingency — you pay zero upfront and owe nothing unless compensation is recovered.
Immediately place a free credit freeze at all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). A freeze blocks new accounts from being opened in your name. Then file a complaint with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov and contact our office — SSN exposure is one of the most serious breach types.
Banks may reverse fraudulent charges, but they are not obligated to compensate you for time lost, stress, or indirect damages. A class action claim against the breached company can recover those additional categories of harm.
Statutes of limitations for data breach claims vary by state but typically run 2–4 years. Depending on when you learned of the breach, you may still have time. Contact our office for a free eligibility review — there is no cost to find out.
Accepting free credit monitoring from THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA does not waive your right to pursue legal action unless you signed a specific release waiving claims. In most cases, victims who accepted monitoring can still file.
Not necessarily. Many data breach victims are never notified directly. If your personal information was held by THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA during the relevant period, you may still qualify even without receiving a letter. A free eligibility review can confirm your status.
Learn how to participate in the class action and what compensation you may be entitled to.
Join the Class Action →Use our verification tool to confirm your letter matches this official AG filing.
Verify My Notice LetterThis case file references a public filing made with the state filing in IL. This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by any state government agency.
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