logo
Weather page
GET THE APP
ePaper
google_play
app_store
  • Login
  • E-Edition
  • News
  • Sports
  • Obituaries
  • Opinion
  • Classifieds
    • Place an Ad
    • All Listings
    • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Photo Gallery
  • Contests
  • Lifestyle/Entertainment
  • Games
    • News
      • Local News
      • PA State News
      • Nation/World
    • Sports
      • Local
      • College Sports
      • State
      • National
    • Obituaries
    • Opinion
      • News
        • Local News
        • PA State News
        • Nation/World
      • Sports
        • Local
        • College Sports
        • State
        • National
      • Obituaries
      • Opinion
    logo
    • Classifieds
      • Place an Ad
      • All Listings
      • Jobs
    • E-Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Login
      • Classifieds
        • Place an Ad
        • All Listings
        • Jobs
      • E-Edition
      • Subscribe
      • Login
    Home Bradford Three FBI units look into Zoom bombing; hackers ‘almost certainly not from SBU’
    Three FBI units look into Zoom bombing; hackers ‘almost certainly not from SBU’
    Bradford, Local News, News
    June 23, 2020

    Three FBI units look into Zoom bombing; hackers ‘almost certainly not from SBU’

    ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. — Three departments of the Federal Bureau of Investigation pored over St. Bonaventure University’s internal investigation into the racist hacking of a university Zoom conversation on June 5.

    The overseas botnet IP addresses the hackers used make further investigation especially difficult, but that fact leads both federal and university officials to believe the hackers were “almost certainly not members of the university community,” said Dr. Dennis DePerro, university president.

    The hackers had a history of botnet activity and their IP addresses were linked to servers as far away as Germany, India and Macedonia, said Dr. Michael Hoffman, SBU’s associate provost and chief information officer.

    The Criminal, Cyber, Response and Services Branch (CCRSB), Civil Rights Division, and White-Collar Crimes squad each looked at the Zoom-bombing materials provided by SBU’s Office of Technology Services.

    “Each unit determined that the words and actions, although horrible, hate-filled and racist, didn’t rise to the level of a hate or internet crime to allow them to investigate further,” said Gary Segrue, director of SBU Safety and Security.

    The university’s Safety and Security Office consulted with the New York State Police Computer Crime Unit before passing on the Technology Services review to the FBI.

    More than one user hacked into the Zoom session, conducted in the aftermath of the George Floyd killing, and uttered racial epithets and drew swastikas and other offensive images on the PowerPoint presentation. They were quickly removed from the session, which continued without further incident.

    “This doesn’t change the fact that this was an outrage and a crime upon our community,” said Dr. Dennis DePerro, university president. “What I stated the day the incident occurred holds true: Any action going forward that rises to this despicable level will result in the most severe penalty if the offender is a student or employee — expulsion or termination.”

    The university’s goal now is to tighten its Zoom security measures, especially for large-scale community meetings that would be more likely to attract hackers, DePerro said. Tech Services established a webpage for employees to find resources for securing a Zoom room.

    Tags:

    botnet computer crime computer science crime dennis deperro federal bureau of investigation hacker police university white-collar crime work

    The Bradford Era

    Local & Social
    Latest news for you
    BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: Sweet’s Saltwater makes a splash
    Business, Local News
    BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: Sweet’s Saltwater makes a splash
    By SAVANNAH BARR s.barr@bradfordera.com 
    July 8, 2025
    Whether you are a longtime aquarium enthusiast or you just learned about planted tanks and want to find out more, there is something for everyone at S...
    Read More...
    {"newsletter-daily-headlines":"Daily Headlines", "newsletters":"Newsletters", "to-print":"To print", "bradfordera-website":"Website"}
    Don’t let strawberries spoil
    Lifestyles
    Don’t let strawberries spoil
    July 8, 2025
    Dear Heloise: We love fresh strawberries at our house, but frequently a few of them spoil in the container before we can use them all. We discovered a...
    Read More...
    {"to-print":"To print", "bradfordera-website":"Website"}
    Sibling is making elderly mom’s life a living hell
    Lifestyles
    Sibling is making elderly mom’s life a living hell
    July 8, 2025
    DEAR ABBY: I live five hours away from my hometown. My mom is 98 and in assisted living there. In recent years, my younger sister has become cruel to ...
    Read More...
    {"to-print":"To print", "bradfordera-website":"Website"}
    2025 NY/PA Corporate Cup Soccer Showcase slated for July 27
    Local Sports
    2025 NY/PA Corporate Cup Soccer Showcase slated for July 27
    Jo Wankel 
    July 7, 2025
    Four soccer matches showcasing 175 of the best high school soccer players from Northwestern PA and Southwestern NY will take place on July 27 at Pitt-...
    Read More...
    Harrison Brunicke wants to be in Pittsburgh, but the Penguins say he must earn his place first
    National Sports
    Harrison Brunicke wants to be in Pittsburgh, but the Penguins say he must earn his place first
    Matt Vensel Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 
    July 7, 2025
    (TNS) —This time last summer, Harrison Brunicke was a lesser-known Penguins prospect who arrived at his first development camp eager to learn and get ...
    Read More...
    {"to-print":"To print", "bradfordera-website":"Website"}
    Brief storm downs tree limb
    Brief storm downs tree limb
    July 7, 2025
    A brief storm Monday afternoon took down a large tree limb, blocking Thompson Avenue at Congress Street. Bradford City Fire Department responded at ab...
    Read More...
    {"to-print":"To print", "bradfordera-website":"Website"}
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    This Week's Ads
    Current e-Edition
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Already a subscriber? Click the image to view the latest e-edition.
    Don't have a subscription? Click here to see our subscription options.
    Mobile App

    Download Now

    The Bradford Era mobile app brings you the latest local breaking news, updates, and more. Read the Bradford Era on your mobile device just as it appears in print.

    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store

    Help Our Community

    Please help local businesses by taking an online survey to help us navigate through these unprecedented times. None of the responses will be shared or used for any other purpose except to better serve our community. The survey is at: www.pulsepoll.com $1,000 is being awarded. Everyone completing the survey will be able to enter a contest to Win as our way of saying, "Thank You" for your time. Thank You!

    Get in touch with The Bradford Era
    Submit Content
    • Submit News
    • Letter to the Editor
    • Place Wedding Announcement
      • Submit News
      • Letter to the Editor
      • Place Wedding Announcement
    Advertise
    • Place Birth Announcement
    • Place Anniversary Announcement
    • Place Obituary Call (814) 368-3173
      • Place Birth Announcement
      • Place Anniversary Announcement
      • Place Obituary Call (814) 368-3173
    Subscribe
    • Start a Subscription
    • e-Edition
    • Contact Us
      • Start a Subscription
      • e-Edition
      • Contact Us
    CMG | Community Media Group
    Illinois
    • Hancock Journal-Pilot
    • Iroquois Times-Republic
    • Journal-Republican
    • The News-Gazette
      • Hancock Journal-Pilot
      • Iroquois Times-Republic
      • Journal-Republican
      • The News-Gazette
    Indiana
    • Fountain Co. Neighbor
    • Herald Journal
    • KV Post News
    • Newton Co. Enterprise
    • Rensselaer Republican
    • Review-Republican
      • Fountain Co. Neighbor
      • Herald Journal
      • KV Post News
      • Newton Co. Enterprise
      • Rensselaer Republican
      • Review-Republican
    Iowa
    • Atlantic News Telegraph
    • Audubon Advocate-Journal
    • Barr’s Post Card News
    • Burlington Hawk Eye
    • Collector’s Journal
    • Fayette County Union
    • Ft. Madison Daily Democrat
    • Independence Bulletin-Journal
    • Keokuk Daily Gate City
    • Oelwein Daily Register
    • Vinton Newspapers
    • Waverly Newspapers
      • Atlantic News Telegraph
      • Audubon Advocate-Journal
      • Barr’s Post Card News
      • Burlington Hawk Eye
      • Collector’s Journal
      • Fayette County Union
      • Ft. Madison Daily Democrat
      • Independence Bulletin-Journal
      • Keokuk Daily Gate City
      • Oelwein Daily Register
      • Vinton Newspapers
      • Waverly Newspapers
    Michigan
    • Iosco County News-Herald
    • Ludington Daily News
    • Oceana’s Herald-Journal
    • Oscoda Press
    • White Lake Beacon
      • Iosco County News-Herald
      • Ludington Daily News
      • Oceana’s Herald-Journal
      • Oscoda Press
      • White Lake Beacon
    New York
    • Finger Lakes Times
    • Olean Times Herald
    • Salamanca Press
      • Finger Lakes Times
      • Olean Times Herald
      • Salamanca Press
    Pennsylvania
    • Bradford Era
    • Clearfield Progress
    • Courier Express
    • Free Press Courier
    • Jeffersonian Democrat
    • Leader Vindicator
    • Potter Leader-Enterprise
    • The Wellsboro Gazette
      • Bradford Era
      • Clearfield Progress
      • Courier Express
      • Free Press Courier
      • Jeffersonian Democrat
      • Leader Vindicator
      • Potter Leader-Enterprise
      • The Wellsboro Gazette
    © Copyright The Bradford Era 43 Main St, Bradford, PA  | Terms of Use  | Privacy Policy
    Powered by TECNAVIA