Western Sydney University Suffers Cyber Attack with No Demands for Ransom Paid
Western Sydney University has responded to an information breach involving unauthorised access to its IT network, which was discovered in January 2024. The university has been investigating the affect of the intrusion and implementing additional remediation measures since then. The university has worked with the NSW Police to determine the cause and effect of the incident. The unauthorised access was quickly shut down, and no threats have been received to disclose the private information accessed during the incident.
Individuals affected by the incident have been notified via telephone call, email, or both. The university has also been in contact with the NSW Information and Privacy Commission to ensure compliance with data protection regulations.
The earliest known unauthorised access to the university's Microsoft Office 365 environment was on 17 May 2023. There were indications that the university's Solar Car Laboratory infrastructure may have been used as part of the incident. However, the unidentified individual or group responsible for the intrusion remains unknown, and the exact effect is still unclear.
Monitoring and scanning indicate that the preventative measures taken as part of the incident response have successfully prevented any further unauthorised access. The university has obtained an injunction from the NSW Supreme Court to prevent access, use, transmission, and publication of the data involved in the incident.
The intrusion included access to some email accounts and SharePoint files in the university's Microsoft Office 365 environment. Despite the incident, the university has not received any demands in exchange for maintaining privacy. The university is committed to safeguarding the personal information of its students, staff, and other individuals affected by the incident.
Western Sydney University encourages anyone who believes they may have been affected by the incident to contact the university's IT department for further information and assistance. The university is taking this incident very seriously and is committed to transparency and open communication throughout the investigation and remediation process.
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