Moody Bible Institute Hit by Cyberattack Exposing Student Data

Moody Bible Institute in Chicago confirmed this week that it suffered a cyberattack that exposed personal data belonging to current and former students. The school notified affected individuals by letter and said it is working with outside cybersecurity experts to investigate the breach and harden its systems.

Officials did not disclose how many people were affected or exactly what type of data was accessed. In a statement, the school said it takes the security of student information seriously and is taking steps to prevent future incidents.

The attack is part of a broader wave of cyber incidents targeting educational and religious institutions in 2026. Cybersecurity researchers have noted that nonprofits and faith-based organizations often lack the IT resources to defend against increasingly sophisticated attacks.

Moody Bible Institute, founded in 1886, serves thousands of students across its undergraduate, graduate, and distance learning programs. The school said it has reported the incident to law enforcement and is cooperating with investigators.

Students and alumni who received notification letters are advised to monitor their financial accounts and credit reports for unusual activity. The school is offering credit monitoring services to those whose data may have been exposed.

Cybersecurity experts recommend that institutions of all sizes conduct regular audits of their data storage practices and train staff to recognize phishing attempts, which remain the most common entry point for attackers.