The university confirmed that lessons have been paused until at least Tuesday, while essential systems such as email, Wi-Fi, Canvas, and Teams remain inaccessible. Additional services, including the parking system, internal phone lines, and canteen cash registers, are also non-functional. Despite these challenges, the campus buildings remain open and physically accessible.
Patrick Groothuis, vice president of the Executive Board, stated that the decision to shut down the network was a precautionary measure to prevent further damage. “We recognize the significant impact on students, employees, and other campus operations, but this action was necessary to protect our systems and data,” he said.
TU/e’s IT experts are currently investigating the nature and scope of the incident, working cautiously to restore the network. While there is no evidence yet of stolen data, the observed activity has characteristics consistent with a cyberattack. No contact has been made with any potential perpetrator, and investigations are ongoing.
This disruption comes amidst exam preparations, minimizing immediate academic repercussions. However, the complete halt of digital services highlights vulnerabilities in the institution’s IT infrastructure. TU/e has set up a dedicated webpage to keep students and staff updated and confirmed that further updates will be shared as new information emerges.
This is not the first time TU/e has encountered cybersecurity challenges; a data breach in 2022 also affected students and employees. As a prominent research institution with ties to advanced technology firms like ASML and the semiconductor industry, the university may represent a valuable target for state-sponsored threat actors. However, no specific perpetrator or motive has been identified at this stage.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of robust cybersecurity defenses in protecting critical infrastructure in education. As TU/e works to restore normal operations, its experience underscores the need for proactive measures to mitigate the risks of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
Source: Techzine
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