DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, is the latest addition to academic institutions that suffered a ransomware attack in the past few months.
Based on reports, these ransomware incidents resulted in a breach of sensitive information for current and prospective students. This affected university is home to a student population of around 1,700 and has joined the growing list of institutions grappling with the consequences of cyber threats.
The university administration responded quickly to the attack, warning students about potentially compromising their personal information. The school newspaper revealed that the DePauw admins disseminated letters to affected individuals last month. The letters notified them of the data leak and offered one-year identity protection services as a precautionary measure.
DePauw University revealed that they discovered the attack even before the notifications.
According to the IT team of DePauw University, they detected the cyberattack on October 31. They immediately collaborated with federal law enforcement agencies and third-party security providers to launch an investigation into the incident.
Although the inquiry is ongoing, initial findings suggest that a specific group of individuals could suffer unauthorised data access. On the other hand, the school has already contacted these affected parties and provided them with resources to protect their identities.
Furthermore, the university officials emphasised their commitment to reassessing and reinforcing current security protocols. The university clarified that the compromised information includes standard enrollment and administrative purposes, but the exact nature of the accessed data remains a secret.
As of now, the Black Suit ransomware gang claimed responsibility for the attack after publishing about stealing 214 GB of data. The public became aware of the cyber assault on November 1, when the university’s internet services became unavailable. Additionally, the students faced challenges accessing campus resources, including printers, email, and the university network.
DePauw University’s recent experience is part of a series of cybersecurity crises that impact educational institutions. There are at least 76 post-secondary schools that have fallen victim to similar attacks this year.
Schools, especially those with higher-level education, should fortify their cybersecurity defences since they are the primary targets of an ongoing ransomware spree.
