Grand Valley State University Suffers Ransomware Attack by Vice Society

Grand Valley State University (GVSU), a public university located in Michigan, recently fell victim to a ransomware attack perpetrated by the Vice Society. This incident was disclosed on the group's dark web leak site. GVSU, established in 1960, is a significant player in the Education sector, offering a range of undergraduate and graduate programs in business, teaching, and engineering.

The university boasts a substantial enrollment, with nearly 20,000 students in undergraduate programs and over 3,000 in graduate studies. Despite its size and the robustness of its reputation, GVSU found itself vulnerable to the increasingly prevalent threat of ransomware attacks. The breach, which took place on May 24, 2022, led to a breakdown in negotiations with the attackers, culminating in the release of stolen data.

This incident underscores the persistent vulnerabilities faced by educational institutions in the digital age. Even with concerted efforts to bolster cybersecurity defenses, GVSU's experience with Vice Society illustrates the critical need for ongoing vigilance and the implementation of comprehensive cybersecurity strategies.

Sources

• Grand Valley State University
• Washington Post: U.S. prescription drug market in disarray as ransomware gang attacks
• Reuters: Cyber-security outage at Change Healthcare continues sixth straight day
• BlackFog: The State of Ransomware in 2022
• ScholarWorks@GVSU: Malware Detection and Analysis
• IDStrong: Grand Valley State University Breach