Howard University cancels classes after a ransomware attack

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The university’s information technology team detected “unusual activity” on the network last week and shut it down to investigate the situation, according to the statement.

“The situation is still being investigated,” according to the university, but “according to the research and information we have so far, we know that the University has experienced a ransomware cyberattack.”

“To date, there has been no evidence of access or leakage of personal information; however, our investigation is ongoing and we continue to work to clarify the facts surrounding what happened and the information to which has been accessed “, the statement added.

In July, the U.S. education sector saw a 15% increase in cyberattacks, compared to the first half of 2021, with an average of 853 attacks per week, according to Check Point Research, a privately held monitoring company. of these incidents.

This trend is consistent with a warning issued by U.S. intelligence officials late last year, which said universities and schools were the target of malicious cyber actors, including ransomware criminals, during the pandemic. of coronavirus.

In a joint cybersecurity bulletin issued at the time by the FBI, DHS and a consortium that monitors online threats across the country, officials said the hackers “are targeting kindergarten educational institutions until in the twelfth grade (K-12), leading to ransomware attacks, data theft and disruption of distance education services. “

The bulletin noted that school-based hackers have altered the ability to conduct distance learning and have adopted malicious techniques previously used against corporate United States, stolen and threatened to leak confidential student data unless pay a ransom.

In addition to the theft of student data, intelligence officials said hackers continue to disrupt the remote learning systems that schools have been forced to adopt due to social remote requirements. the pandemic.

Cyberattacks on schools have caused major disruptions to students, parents and teachers trying to adapt to the rise of distance learning programs. There have been many incidents reported over the past two years, but one of the most serious occurred in Baltimore County, Maryland, where schools – serving 115,000 students – were forced to close for three days last month. due to a ransomware attack.

CNN reported last month that a Texas school district was forced to pay half a million dollars in ransomware attackers after the threat that personal information of students and teachers would be published by hackers.

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