University website safe, says SPPU, after hack rumours

Authorities attributed this anomaly to a Google Search engine technical issue rather than any malicious activity

Panic spread among students and faculty of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) on Saturday after Google search results began showing portions of the university website in an unfamiliar language. This immediately sparked rumours that the official university portal www.unipune.ac.in had been hacked.

This is not the first time SPPU’s digital presence has faced such issues. Officials recalled that a similar case of incorrect or misleading search previews had occurred earlier, though it was quickly resolved. (HT FILE)

However, university officials have clarified that there has been no such breach. “The content on the official website has not been altered in any way. The website is functioning normally and has not been hacked. The issue arises only when the website is searched via Google, where a different language appears in the search preview,” an official explained.

University authorities attributed this anomaly to a Google Search engine technical issue rather than any malicious activity. They stated that the problem likely stemmed from search engine spam or indexing errors on Google’s side. “We have already submitted a detailed report to Google’s Search Consulting Team, and corrective measures are expected to be implemented soon,” the official confirmed.

The incident has, however, raised concerns among students about the security of their personal and confidential data stored on the university’s digital systems. Rahul Sasane, president of the University Students’ Struggle Action Committee, urged the administration to release an immediate public statement. “The university must assure students that their personal data is safe,” he said.

This is not the first time SPPU’s digital presence has faced such issues. Officials recalled that a similar case of incorrect or misleading search previews had occurred earlier, though it was quickly resolved.