The University of Illinois Chicago has confirmed a ransomware attack on its College of Medicine systems. A ransomware group claims it took 344 GB of data, and the university is investigating whether personal information was compromised.
The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is a public research university with more than 35,000 students. It also runs the UI Health hospital system.
UIC has confirmed a ransomware event involving its College of Medicine, according to The Record, which reported it on October 5, 2026. Ransomware is malicious software that criminals use to lock or steal an organization’s files and demand payment.
According to The Record, UIC said that “some College of Medicine systems were temporarily unavailable” and have since been restored. The university said its main network was not affected and that patient care at UI Health was not disrupted. UIC reported the incident to law enforcement.
A ransomware group calling itself Booba has claimed responsibility and says it took 344 gigabytes of data, The Record reported. The group listed UIC on its leak website, where these groups post the names of organizations they say they attacked.
These are claims by criminals and have not been confirmed. UIC has not confirmed who attacked it or how much data was taken. The same 344 GB figure appears on the group’s listing of another organization, so it may not be specific to UIC.
UIC says it is investigating whether “any personal, research or academic information was compromised,” according to The Record. The university has said it will notify anyone whose information was stolen.
As of October 6, 2026, UIC has not sent notice letters or posted a notice, and no filing with a state Attorney General or federal regulator has been found.
UIC has not said:
This post will be updated when UIC releases more information.
A medical school holds information about students, applicants, staff and research. If personal information was taken, it could be used for identity theft, fraud or targeted phishing scams that mention the attack by name. Anyone connected to the UIC College of Medicine may want to understand their rights before a notice arrives.
Universities that collect personal information have a duty to protect it and to notify people promptly if it is stolen. UIC has said it will notify anyone whose information was stolen. If your information was involved, you may have legal rights and remedies worth discussing with an attorney. Emery | Reddy is monitoring this incident.
Your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) includes information that can be used to identify you, such as your name and other personal details. Organizations that manage healthcare data are legally required to safeguard this information. When PII is exposed in a data breach, it can potentially be used by cybercriminals to commit identity theft, financial fraud, or other misuse.
Did UIC have a data breach?
UIC has confirmed a ransomware event involving its College of Medicine systems. It is still investigating whether personal, research or academic information was compromised.
Was my information stolen?
That is not known yet. UIC has not said whose information, if any, was taken. The university says it will notify anyone whose information was stolen.
Who attacked UIC?
A ransomware group calling itself Booba has claimed responsibility. UIC has not confirmed that claim.
Were UI Health patients affected?
UIC says patient care at UI Health was not disrupted. The university has not said what data, if any, was taken from College of Medicine systems.
What should I do now?
Take these steps:
Do I have a legal claim?
You may, if your information was involved. Universities have a duty to protect the personal information they collect and to notify people promptly when it is stolen. If you are connected to the UIC College of Medicine, or you receive a notice from UIC, contact Emery | Reddy at 916.995.5968 or visit emeryreddy.com for a Free Case Review to see what you may qualify for. No Fee Unless We Recover.
Whether you’ve been injured on the job, subjected to mistreatment in the workplace, or affected by a privacy breach, our expert attorneys are here to help.
