Security News > 2020 > September > Newcastle University, neighbouring Northumbria hit by ransomware attacks

Newcastle University, neighbouring Northumbria hit by ransomware attacks
2020-09-08 15:30

A cyber attack at Newcastle University has turned out to be a ransomware infection courtesy of the Doppelpaymer gang.

The university said in a statement on its website that it would take "Several weeks" to repair its systems from the ransomware attack, which was discovered on 30 August.

Newcastle University said that investigators, as well as police and other agencies, are looking into the attacks.

Exams were cancelled and the university's clearing hotline for matching students with last-minute course offers also went down, according to the BBC. A Reg reader and Northumbria student who did not wish to be named castigated the university for not coming out earlier and admitting to the cyber attack, telling us that on 28 August the university had merely advised students not to log into campus systems.

"Having previously been in charge of major incident communications for a large telecommunications company utilising ITIL Major Incident Management best practices, I must say I'm shocked and appalled at how untransparent and untimely Northumbria University are in regards to what appears to be a major breach of students' and staff data," said our reader.


News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2020/09/08/newcastle_northumbria_universities_cyber_attack/