universities and cyber attacks

As a result, many universities in the UK, US and Canada lost data on existing students, alumni and donors. The day-to-day cyber threats facing universities include malicious software (malware), phishing, infrastructure attacks, social networking targeting, and peer-to-peer (P2P) information leakage. According to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) [1], it is almost certain state-sponsored actors are looking to steal data and information for strategic advantage from universities. This data included phone numbers, donation history and event attendance. The University of Vermont Medical Center is continuing to recover from the cyber attack late last month that crippled access to electronic records at the Burlington hospital. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part of GCHQ, said there has been a spike in attacks over the summer months. Newcastle University were one of the recent victims of a ransomware attack, which impacted services across the whole university. Universities and colleges are being warned of a rising number of cyber attacks that could threaten the start of term. Carsten Maple, director of cyber security research at Warwick University, said universities need to improve their defences urgently. Universities and colleges warned that spike in cyber attacks could disrupt start of academic year for students Chorley Guardian 11:04. This attack was conducted by the group identified as APT34, an Iranian-nexus threat actor. This year was no exception when talking about espionage attacks on universities. The institutions the BBC has confirmed have been affected are: University of Birmingham. SolarWinds Hackers "Impacting" State and Local Governments. “Currently, cyber attacks on African universities are not regarded as serious issues and are bundled up as simple information technology-based problems, which is false. In this case, the campaign took place over LinkedIn, which has proven to be an effective delivery mechanism if a targeted organization is focusing heavily on e-mail defenses to prevent intrusions. According to an alert issued by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) there has been a recent spike in ransomware attacks against UK schools, colleges and universities… “Cyber is so broad that it encompasses far more than the technical aspects,” Forno says. Hackers specifically target universities for the sensitive information stored in their systems. A cyberattack on the University of Vermont (UVM) Health Network this week negatively impacted systems at multiple hospitals in Vermont and New York, as hospitals across the country are … Data stolen from universities could be used in a number of ways - such as to commit fraud, or steal IP - and with such a variety of possible options available for hackers to get their payout, it’s unsurprising that they are focusing their efforts here. Student data has been stolen in a “sophisticated and malicious” cyber-attack on a university. https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/report/the-cyber-threat-to-universities, University of Stirling Library & IT on facebook, Personal information on staff and students, Technical resources such as documentation and standards, Sensitive research and intellectual property. Universities should ensure that all staff and students … Crucially, universities have extensive databases on thousands of students and staff, which include rich assets that are attractive to cyber attackers - such as personal, financial, and R&D data. Cyber criminals are increasingly targeting universities with ransomware attacks and academic institutions are being urged to make sure their networks are resilient enough to protect against them. The United Kingdom’s cyber-security agency has warned that the universities and colleges are a huge target for cyber terrorism and espionage. Universities and colleges warned that spike in cyber attacks could disrupt start of academic year for students By Ethan Shone Thursday, 17th September 2020, 10:59 am Hackers have posted a small sample of files from the gang on a … Hackers have posted a small sample of files from the gang on a leaks website, a tactic increasingly used by ransomware criminals to pressure victims into paying up. Since the Maastricht attack, Dutch universities have stepped up joint efforts, he said, discussing whether they could collectively monitor their IT networks around the clock, for example. To reduce the likelihood of these - or any - attacks being successful, good cybersecurity hygiene is required. Cyber attacks on universities can be devastating, with wide-ranging effects for staff and students, data and systems, finances and resource. Government cyber security experts have told schools, colleges and universities to be on alert following a reported rise in cyber-attacks. British universities and colleges have been warned about a spike in ransomware attacks targeting the education sector by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a part of GCHQ. While Blackbaud managed to minimise the damage to its systems, the cyber criminals behind the attack managed to steal a subset of data. This Ransomware effecting education can be stopped by implementing cyber security in public schools & prevent hackers from targetting nation’s schools. “Almost 100% of cyber attacks require human interaction to be successful, and that same human interaction can also bring about failure. Required fields are marked *. This timeline records significant cyber incidents since 2006. In May of 2020, the cloud computing provider Blackbaud … The targeted employee conversed with ‘Rebecca Watts’, allegedly employed as ‘Research Staff at the University of Cambridge’, who shared a malicious file disguised as a resume form for potential job opportunities - which then transferred malware, which the group are known to use. Known vulnerabilities should be patched quickly, and comprehensive malware prevention must be implemented. In this sphere it has also been observed that nation-state backed hacking groups are utilizing academia as a cover up for malicious campaigns. Colleges and Universities are Prime Cyber Attack Targets Cutting edge research has made Higher Education a prime target. In addition to personal information, universities also hold confidential research data which can be valuable to cyber criminals and state-sponsored actors. Newcastle University is being held to ransom by cyber criminals in an attack which has been disrupting IT systems since the beginning of the month. This was closely followed by a sophisticated cyber attack on Lancaster University. The University of Stirling employs various methods to detect suspicious activity across our systems; however, our first line of defence is good cyber security awareness among staff and students. 5. Cyber criminals also target universities to commit fraud and monetise any stolen material through sale or ransom. The health network confirmed Tuesday that it was ransomware, a type of virus that usually involves a request for money, which caused the attack. The continued rise of ransomware is one way that universities are falling victim to hackers, particularly in more opportunistic attacks. Additionally, Universities provide very high bandwidth internet access in order to support all of their students, making them a potential target for cyber-criminals who want to use the connectivity in disruption attacks against others. Recently, students and staff at Justus Liebig University (JLU) Giessen in Germany were asked to queue in person for a new email password after their university was subjected to a cyberattack. Are public schools prepared for cyber attacks ? However, phishing is still the primary way that cyberattacks are carried out. The University of Utah says nearly $500,000 it paid to cyber thieves in a ransomware attack did not come out of tuition, grants or taxpayer funded accounts. University students have been unable to submit work, after the publicly funded academic computer network known as Janet came under cyber-attack. Universities should ensure that all staff and students are aware of basic security hygiene and the mechanics of common threats. University of Strathclyde. Prabakar can discuss what security vulnerabilities within the U.S. network allowed this to happen and what can be done to prevent future attacks. Alert issued to universities about spike in cyber attacks Sky News 03:42. The line between financially motivated attacks and state-sponsored attacks is often a very thin one, and sometimes attacks have dual objectives. The Denver Post reported new details about the cyberattack Tuesday morning, confirming for the first time the Denver campus’s computer networks were struck by ransomware, leading school … Clearly, universities and other higher education institutions must accept that they have become a target for hackers, and take thorough measures to protect themselves, their staff, and their students. Therefore, it is essential that staff and students alike are trained on recognizing when an email is in genuine, and best practice to follow, such as not clicking embedded links. Getty Images The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has confirmed it paid a ransom totaling $1.14 million (£925,000) to the criminals behind a cyber-attack on its School of … Source: Shutterstock . According to the BBC, the attack … Data from undergraduate applicants for 2019 and 2020 was accessed and student record systems were also breached in the attack. Higher Education cyber attacks initiated. The alert follows a speight of ransomware attacks on … BURLINGTON — The University of Vermont (UVM) Health Network continues to make strides in its recovery after the Oct. 28 cyber attack that impacted its information and technology infrastructure. In 2003, there were several attacks directed on students’ and staff members’ personal information. In May of 2020, the cloud computing provider Blackbaud which is a major supplier to Universities across the globe was targeted by a ransomware attack. For example, often when an account is compromised, attackers use email to penetrate university systems further. Library services that you can access from your home or student accommodation. The combination of employee and student personal and financial information, confidential data such as medical records, and commercially desirable research combined with the cultural openness of higher education has made Colleges and Universities prime targets. Oxford … The school says "vulnerabilities" uncovered in the attack … A cyber attack at Newcastle University has turned out to be a ransomware infection courtesy of the Doppelpaymer gang. NetWalker continued its attacks against higher education when two more colleges were revealed in June to have been victims of the ransomware. Records and ID documents of some Lancaster University students were accessed in the … It’s time academic institutions acknowledge the risk they are under. It only takes one individual to click on a malicious link for attackers to infiltrate university databases in order to get their desired outcome - whatever this may be. However, with their data rich environments, and the line between financially motivated attacks and state-sponsored attacks becoming more and more blurred, changes must be made. A target of the espionage was information on the admission decisions. Email: prabakar@cis.fiu.edu Phone: 305-348-2033 Selcuk Uluagac Associate Professor Electrical and Computer Engineering Uluagac is a cybersecurity professor who currently leads the Cyber … mark@hybrid.co . Attackers have even been known to set-up Outlook mail rules to divert any replies to their emails, hiding their conversations pretending to be the user and helping them to avoid detection. A 2007 hack exposed information including the social security numbers of up to 3,000 staff members as well as 400 state credit card numbers used for school purchases. The cyber crime group behind the attack … All stories University networks could face their biggest threat to cybersecurity as a new term starts. By communicating with other universities about the threats you face, you can help each other prepare for attacks. Cyber attacks on higher education institutions are on the rise across the globe, with multiple, unconnected attacks hitting the headlines in the last couple of weeks. This week the National Cyber Security Centre issued its latest alert warning of the threat to disruptive attacks aimed at the education sector, following a spate of attacks on schools, colleges, and universities.. “Universities drive forward a lot of the research and development in the UK. For one, universities cannot enforce security controls on the equipment brought onsite by students, meaning there are thousands of potential entry points for hackers to make the most of. September 4, 2020. rorym Digital Security, Information Security, StirCyberSec, StirCyberSec, Uncategorized. Cyber attacks threaten universities restarting in the UK . Cyber attacks on universities can be devastating, with wide-ranging effects for staff and students, data and systems, finances and resource. To really defend against cyberattacks, universities need to be putting more basic measures in place. While Cambridge, and its students, might not be taking a direct financial hit in the case of this attack, its reputation might be. Nor should creating backups of all databases. Higher Education cyber attacks initiated The first deal of cyber criminals in Higher Education was an attack on Yale’s system in 2002 by hackers from Princeton University. Combined with the fact that the security of universities may be seen by an attacker to not be especially advanced, this makes them an attractive hit. 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