Security News > 2020 > September > GCHQ agency 'strongly urges' Brit universities, colleges to protect themselves after spike in ransomware infections

GCHQ offshoot the National Cyber Security Centre has warned Further and Higher Education institutions in the UK to be on their guard against ransomware attacks as the new academic year gets under way.

NCSC sent advice to places of learning "Containing a number of steps they can take to keep cyber criminals out of their networks, following a recent spike in ransomware attacks," it said in an advisory note published this morning.

A recent spike in ransomware attacks in August included infections of Newcastle and Northumbria Universities, seemingly among others.

The usual modus operandi of larger groups is to gain access to a target network, deploy an encryptor, steal data from the network and then drip-feed it out to wind up pressure on victims to pay a ransom to decrypt their files, as the Maze ransomware gang does.

Mark Nicholls, CTO of infosec biz Redscan, agreed, saying: "The fact that such a large number of universities don't deliver cyber security training to staff and students, nor commission independent penetration testing, is concerning. These are foundational elements of every security program and key to helping prevent data breaches." .

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2020/09/17/ncsc_education_ransomware_warning/