Ransomware Attack Hits Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences

An unknown ransomware group has attacked the Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences. On June 9th, the university confirmed the incident, announcing on an emergency website that its entire IT system, including email accounts and the telephone network, had been taken offline. The attack has affected almost all of the institution's services and facilities available to its 6,200+ students.

The university has stated that computer pools and the library will remain closed until further notice. Students and staff have been advised against turning on their work computers to prevent further harm. The HS Kaiserslautern website cautioned that employees' workstations could also be compromised.

The identity of the attackers and whether any information was stolen from the university's systems before the encryption attempt, potentially as part of an extortion scheme, remains unclear. HS Kaiserslautern is a reputable applied science university situated in Rhineland-Palatinate, a western German state.

Other Universities Targeted

Regrettably, it joins a list of similar institutions that have been targeted by cybercriminals in recent months. Other German-speaking universities that have fallen victim to cyberattacks include HAW Hamburg, the University of Zurich, the Harz University of Applied Sciences in Saxony-Anhalt, Ruhr West University, the EU/FH European University of Applied Sciences, and the University of Duisburg-Essen.