RPO hit by cyberattack; orchestra says donor data was not compromised Security team investigates possible sensitive data impact. The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra said a cyberattack temporarily cut off access to parts of its IT network in October. Orchestra officials are working with cybersecurity experts to further secure the network. Orchestra says donor data safe after cyber breach "The system that houses our patron and donor transaction data was not impacted by the incident," an RPO spokesperson said in a statement. "We are working closely with our security team and our employees to determine the extent to which other sensitive data may have been impacted and are exploring all remediation options available." The RPO did not provide any further details about the attack. It said all issues have since been fixed, and security measures in place limited the impact of the incident. — Kayla Canne covers community safety for the Democrat and Chronicle with a focus on police accountability, government surveillance and how people are impacted by violence. Follow her on Instagram @bykaylacanne. Get in touch at [email protected].

Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Hit by Akira Ransomware Attack, Exposing Sensitive Data The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO), a century-old cultural institution based in Rochester, New York, suffered a significant data breach following a ransomware attack by the cybercriminal group Akira. The incident began on October 21, 2025, when the orchestra’s servers exhibited unusual activity, prompting an investigation by independent cybersecurity experts. By November 11, 2025, unauthorized access to parts of the network was confirmed. On November 25, 2025, Akira claimed responsibility, posting details of the breach on the dark web. A subsequent review revealed that sensitive personal data had been compromised, with the RPO confirming the exposure on May 7, 2026. The breach affected 1,726 individuals across the U.S., including residents of Maine and Vermont. Exposed information included: - Social Security numbers - Driver’s license numbers - Health insurance details - Medical records - Passport numbers Written notifications were sent to impacted individuals on May 27, 2026. The law firm Shamis & Gentile P.A. is now investigating potential legal action for those affected, citing possible eligibility for compensation. The breach underscores the growing threat of ransomware attacks targeting organizations beyond traditional corporate sectors.

Rochester, N.Y. - The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra released a statement on Tuesday, saying it experienced a cyber attack in October that created a limited disruption. The orchestra says the network issues have since been fixed, and normal operations have resumed. It also says patron and donor transaction data were not impacted, but security teams are still determining if other sensitive data was impacted. The investigation is ongoing. The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra's full statement: The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) experienced a cyber incident in October that created a limited disruption in access to certain locations within our IT network. Since then, we have continued to work with our cybersecurity experts and have fully remediated all network issues related to the incident. Access to the affected areas of the network has been restored and normal operations have resumed. We are grateful our team had safeguards in place that limited the impact of this incident. The system that houses our patron and donor transaction data was not impacted by the incident. We are working closely with our security team and our employees to determine the extent to which other sensitive data may have been impacted and are exploring all remediation options available. The RPO takes data security and privacy issues very seriously and will provide further comment when appropriate.