University of California Data Breach and Leak (December 2020)
universityofcalifornia.edu
About This Breach
The University of California Data Breach in December 2020 occurred due to a vulnerability in third-party provider Accellion. The incident exposed data on both students and staff, including 503K unique email addresses, along with names, dates of birth, genders, social security numbers, ethnicities, and various academic-related attributes.
Data Exposed
Breach Details
| Breach Type | Data Breach |
| Searchable | Yes |
| Verified | Yes |
| Sensitive Data | No |
| Reference | No reference available |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if I was in the University of California breach?
Type your email address into the search box on our data breach check page. If it appears in the University of California breach, or any other, you'll see the breach name, date and what was exposed. It's free and nothing you type is stored.
When did the University of California data breach happen?
University of California was breached in Dec 2020. The breach was added to the XposedOrNot index on September 9, 2025.
How many records were exposed in the University of California breach?
503,270 records were exposed, making it the #524 largest of the 796 breaches in our index.
What data was exposed in the University of California breach?
The exposed data includes: Email addresses, Names, Dates of birth, Phone numbers, Genders, Physical addresses, Social security numbers.
What should I do if I was affected by the University of California breach?
No password was in this breach, so the main risk is phishing. Be wary of emails, calls or texts that quote these details, turn on two-factor authentication, and set up free breach alerts on XposedOrNot so you know the moment your email appears in a new breach.
More Education Breaches
What Should You Do?
Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Add 2FA on all supported accounts using an authenticator app like Google Authenticator or Authy.
Place a Fraud Alert
Contact credit bureaus to place a fraud alert or credit freeze to prevent identity theft.
Watch for Phishing Calls & SMS
Be cautious of unexpected calls or texts asking for personal information.
Beware of Scam Mail
Be skeptical of unexpected correspondence requesting personal details.
Monitor Your Accounts
Set up login alerts and review account activity regularly for suspicious access.