University of Sydney Moves Quickly After Cyber Breach, Support Rolled Out for Community
There’s been a serious update coming out of the University of Sydney, and it’s about a cyber security breach that has affected parts of its community. The University has officially confirmed that unauthorised access was detected in one of its online IT code libraries, and while the situation is being actively managed, it’s understandably raised concerns among staff, students, alumni, and supporters.
The issue came to light last week, when suspicious activity was identified in a platform mainly used for storing and developing code. Immediate action was taken to block the unauthorised access and secure the system. However, it was later discovered that this code library also contained historical data files. These files included personal information belonging to some current and former members of the University community. It’s important to note that this data was from retired systems and was primarily used years ago for testing purposes.
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According to the University, the accessed information includes names, dates of birth, phone numbers, home addresses, and basic employment details of staff who were employed or affiliated with the University as of 4 September 2018. This affects around 10,000 current staff and affiliates, approximately 12,500 former staff and affiliates, and several historical datasets involving students, alumni, and a small number of supporters. While the data was accessed and downloaded, it has been stated that there is currently no evidence suggesting it has been published or misused.
The Vice-President (Operations), Nicole Gower, addressed staff directly, acknowledging the concern this news may cause and offering a sincere apology for the distress involved. She also made it clear that this incident is unrelated to any recent student results issues and that, at this stage, the breach appears to be limited to a single platform.
The University has notified relevant government authorities and is working closely with cyber security partners to investigate the full scope of the breach. That investigation is expected to continue into the new year. Impacted datasets have already been removed from the system, and broader reviews of data management practices are ongoing under the University’s Privacy Resilience Program.
Support is being made available to those affected. A dedicated cyber incident support service has been established, counselling and wellbeing services are on standby for staff and students, and external government agencies are also offering assistance related to identity protection and mental health support. Notifications to affected individuals have already begun and are expected to be completed by January 2026.
For now, the University is urging everyone to stay vigilant, monitor their accounts, be cautious of phishing attempts, update passwords, and report any suspicious activity. Updates will continue to be shared as the investigation progresses, with direct communication promised for those impacted.
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