• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
Tech

Hacker Breached Dozens of Universities and Government Agencies, Report Says

Jeff John Roberts
By
Jeff John Roberts
Jeff John Roberts
Editor, Finance and Crypto
Down Arrow Button Icon
Jeff John Roberts
By
Jeff John Roberts
Jeff John Roberts
Editor, Finance and Crypto
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 15, 2017, 8:00 AM ET
<h1>Cornell - Johnson</h1>


<strong>Index:</strong> 82.6



<strong>2012 rank:</strong> 8



<strong>Total program cost:</strong> $157,416 



<strong>Format:</strong> Alternating Saturdays and Sundays, with four one-week residencies in Ithaca



<strong>Length of program:</strong> 22 months



<strong>Class of 2014:</strong> 72 students



<strong>Average age:</strong> 35



<strong>Average years of work experience:</strong> 12
<h1>Cornell - Johnson</h1> <strong>Index:</strong> 82.6 <strong>2012 rank:</strong> 8 <strong>Total program cost:</strong> $157,416 <strong>Format:</strong> Alternating Saturdays and Sundays, with four one-week residencies in Ithaca <strong>Length of program:</strong> 22 months <strong>Class of 2014:</strong> 72 students <strong>Average age:</strong> 35 <strong>Average years of work experience:</strong> 12Photograph by Erik Jaeger—Flickr/CC
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

A hacker has reportedly obtained access to the computer systems of prominent universities, including Cornell and New York University, and is attempting to sell that illegal access on the Internet, according to a research firm.

In a report published on Wednesday, the firm Recorded Future published new details about the hacker’s activities. The hacker, known by the name Rasputin, gained notoriety last November for breaching a U.S. agency responsible for election oversight.

The report also provides a list of Rasputin’s other targets, which include the dozens of universities in the U.S. and the U.K., as well as city and state governments, and federal agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services.

Recorded Future learned of the hackers as part of its business monitoring Internet forums on the so-called “dark web,” where criminals often meet to swap or sell hacking information.

The severity of the breaches are unclear but the report says all of them pertain to a common database vulnerability known as SQL injection, which relies on flaws in websites where users can fill out forms or enter other information. In the case of universities, such a flaw might be found on a library webpage or a course selection tool, or any number of other school websites.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

In theory, the vulnerabilities could allow Rasputin or another hacker to obtain private information about students or staff, or about non-public operations at one of the universities or agencies. But the actual damage would depend on the nature of the vulnerable website, and how connected it was with other parts of the institution.

Recorded Future says it alerted the universities and the rest of Rasputin’s targets prior to publishing news about the vulnerabilities, which would allow them to patch the website flaws before they became more broadly known. Other prominent names among Rasputin’s targets are: the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, UCLA, the University of Washington, and the cities of Pittsburgh, Pa. and Springfield, Mass.

Recorded Future VP Levi Gundert, in an interview with Fortune, said Rasputin’s efforts reflect a variety of new strategies on the part of criminal hackers. These strategies arose in part because many older forms of online crime, such as selling credit card data, have become less lucrative.

The Rasputin report also highlights an emerging corner of the cyber-security industry that involves firms like Recorded Future and competitor Flashpoint scouring the dark web on behalf of corporate clients.

In the case of Recorded Future, the company employs people who speak a variety of languages, including Arabic and Russian, and who create online personas to interact with the hackers who sell corporate information on the dark web. The firm also says it relies heavily on technology, including artificial intelligence, to broaden the scope of its monitoring activities.

To mitigate the damage caused by hackers, the Recorded Future report suggests that governments should offer tax and other incentives to companies to conduct code audits and other best practices.

About the Author
Jeff John Roberts
By Jeff John RobertsEditor, Finance and Crypto
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jeff John Roberts is the Finance and Crypto editor at Fortune, overseeing coverage of the blockchain and how technology is changing finance.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

John Collison, president and co-founder of Stripe
SuccessJobs
Stripe cofounder says Gen Z will need two college majors to compete thanks to AI—and investing legend Charlie Munger called it first
By Emma BurleighJune 26, 2026
2 hours ago
young woman looking frustrated while working on her laptop at home
SuccessCareers
Gen Z’s hiring hell is real: 1 in 3 employers admit they’re replacing entry-level roles with AI—and tech and manufacturing jobs are most at risk
By Preston ForeJune 26, 2026
2 hours ago
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power this week
C-SuiteFortune 500 Power Moves
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power this week
By Fortune EditorsJune 26, 2026
3 hours ago
jon
Commentaryphilanthropy
Shell Foundation CEO: climate tech works. Getting it to a billion people who need it is the hard part
By Jonathan BermanJune 26, 2026
4 hours ago
Mature businessman leading project meeting in office conference room
AICFO Daily
CFOs are bullish on their own companies—even as they turn bearish on the economy
By Sheryl EstradaJune 26, 2026
5 hours ago
Exclusive: Framework Ventures raises $400 million for fourth fund as firm expands beyond crypto
NewslettersTerm Sheet
Exclusive: Framework Ventures raises $400 million for fourth fund as firm expands beyond crypto
By Ben WeissJune 26, 2026
6 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
1 day ago
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
2 days ago
Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
Economy
Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
By Nick LichtenbergJune 26, 2026
10 hours ago
The bond market knows something about the $39 trillion national debt that Washington doesn’t
Economy
The bond market knows something about the $39 trillion national debt that Washington doesn’t
By Eva RoytburgJune 25, 2026
19 hours ago
Trump turns on Big Oil donors who spent nearly $100 million to get him elected—now he wants the DOJ to investigate them for price gouging
Economy
Trump turns on Big Oil donors who spent nearly $100 million to get him elected—now he wants the DOJ to investigate them for price gouging
By Tristan BoveJune 25, 2026
20 hours ago
Current price of oil as of June 25, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 25, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 25, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.