This page lists known hacking attacks on universities and colleges from 2022 and 2021. Universities generally communicate very openly when they have been hit by a cyberattack, partly because a large number of students are usually affected. Therefore, the number of unreported cases is likely to be low, at least for large cyber attacks.
Statistics: Cyber attacks on colleges and universities 2022
September 24, 2022
Cyberattack on a cluster of universities in France
Pôle Universitaire Léonard de Vinci - Courbevoie, Département Hauts-de-Seine, Île-de-France, France
https://www.rtl.fr/actu/sciences-tech/in...
September 13, 2022
Cyber attack on a polytechnic university in France
Institut national polytechnique de Toulouse (INP) - Toulouse, Département Haute-Garonne, Occitanie, France
https://www.ladepeche.fr/2022/09/13/lins...
September 11, 2022
Cyber attack on a Canadian university
University of Guelph - Guelph, Ontario, Canada
https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/u-of-g-stud...
September 2022
China accuses U.S. of cyber espionage at university
Northwestern Polytechnical University / 西北工业大学 - Xi’an, People's Republic of China
https://australiancybersecuritymagazine....
August 2022
Unauthorized access at a university in Denmark
Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DTU) - Lyngby, Denmark
August 2022
Cyber attack on an art college in the USA
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) - Savannah, Georgia, Georgia, USA (Chatham County)
https://eu.savannahnow.com/story/news/20...
August 12, 2022
Facebook account of a university in Kentucky hijacked
Thomas More University - Crestview Hills, Kentucky, USA (Kenton County)
An alternative account was put into operation.
https://www.facebook.com/ThomasMoreUnive...
July 2022
Unauthorized access at a university in Australia
University of Western Australia - Perth, Western Australia, Australia
https://www.itnews.com.au/news/student-d...
July 23, 2022
Cyber attack on a university in Germany
Bergische Universität Wuppertal - Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
https://www.uni-wuppertal.de/de/news/det...
July 10, 2022
Unauthorized access to personal data of a university in Australia
Deakin University - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
https://blogs.deakin.edu.au/deakinlife/2...
July 4, 2022
Cyber attack on a university of applied sciences in Switzerland
Haute École Arc (HE-Arc) - Neuchâtel, Canton de Neuchâtel, Switzerland
https://www.inside-it.ch/schon-wieder-cy...
June 21, 2022
Cyber attack on a university of applied sciences in Germany
FH Münster - Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
https://meinefh.de/
June 20, 2022
Cyber attack on a university in Austria
Medizinische Universität Innsbruck - Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria
https://www.tt.com/artikel/30823491/cybe...
June 20, 2022
Cyber attack on a university in Ontario, Canada
University of Windsor - Windsor, Ontario, Canada
https://blackburnnews.com/windsor/windso...
June 11, 2022
Cyberattack on a university in Italy
Università di Pisa - Pisa, Tuscany, Italy
https://www.wired.it/article/attacco-inf...
June 6, 2022
Cyberattack on a pedagogical university in Germany
Pädagogische Hochschule Freiburg - Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
https://www.badische-zeitung.de/paedagog...
May 30, 2022
Learning platform for distance learning in Austria affected by cyber attack
AMC Wirtschaftsakademie GmbH - Vienna, Austria
The platform is affected by a cyberattack on a data center in Germany.
https://mba-studium.at/lernplattform-war...
May 23, 2022
DDoS attack on the University of Liège, Belgium
Université de Liège (ULiège) - Liège, Wallonia, Belgium
The attack lasted for 27 hours.
https://www.lesoir.be/444504/article/202...
May 2022
Potenital cyberattack on a university in Ireland
National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway) - Galway, Ireland
The National University of Ireland Galway was already the target of a serious attack in September 2021.
https://www.rte.ie/news/connacht/2022/05...
May 2022
Ransomware at a university in Pennsylvania
Mercyhurst University - Erie, Pennsylvania, USA (Erie County)
https://www.erienewsnow.com/story/465235...
May 5, 2022
Cyberattack on a college in Georgia, USA
College of Coastal Georgia - Brunswick, Georgia, USA (Glynn County)
https://www.facebook.com/coastalgeorgia
April 28, 2022
Cyber attack at a university of applied sciences in Berlin
Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin - Berlin, Germany
https://www.f3.htw-berlin.de/it-sicherhe...
April 27, 2022
Ransomware at a university in Tennessee
Austin Peay State University (APSU) - Clarksville, Tennessee, USA
https://therecord.media/austin-peay-stat...
April 19, 2022
Unauthorized access to data of a university library in Germany
Universitätsbibliothek Leipzig - Leipzig, Germany
Affected are about 70,000 records with personal data.
https://www.ub.uni-leipzig.de/aktuelles/...
April 2022
Ransomware at a university in Florida
Florida International University (FIU) - Miami, Florida, USA
https://therecord.media/blackcat-ransomw...
April 8, 2022
Cyber attack on a university of applied sciences in Belgium
Hogeschool Vives - Kortrijk, Belgium
https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2022/04/12/...
March 28, 2022
Hacker attack on e-mail accounts of the University of Salzburg, Austria
Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg (PLUS) - Salzburg, Austria
The university is named after Archbishop Paris Graf von Lodron (Paride Lodron), who founded it in 1622.
March 26, 2022
Cyber attack on a university of applied sciences in Germany
Technische Hochschule Aschaffenburg - Aschaffenburg, Bavaria, Germany
The university offers degree programs in the fields of science, technology, business, law and health.
(German)
https://www.th-ab.de/hochschule/aktuelle...
March 2022
Cyberattack on a university in Edinburgh, UK
Heriot-Watt University - Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edi...
21 March 2022
DDoS attacks on French-speaking universities in Belgium
Belgium
https://www.lesoir.be/431382/article/202...
16 March 2022
Church university in Brazil affected by cyber attack
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUCPR) - Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
As a result of the cyberattack on Grupo Marista.
https://www.cisoadvisor.com.br/grupo-mar...
March 2022
Ransomware at the French Civil Aviation College
École nationale de l'aviation civile (ENAC) - Toulouse, Occitanie / Département Haute-Garonne, France
https://www.lemagit.fr/actualites/252514...
March 2022
Ransomware at a university in North Carolina
North Carolina A&T State University (N.C. A&T) - Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
https://arstechnica.com/information-tech...
February 24, 2022
Cyber attack on a university of applied sciences in Germany
Hochschule Anhalt - Köthen, Germany
https://www.mz.de/lokal/koethen/hackerat...
24 February 2022
Massive attacks on Wordpress sites of Ukrainian universities
Ukraine
Starting with the Russian invasion, at least 30 web presences were hacked.
https://www.wordfence.com/blog/2022/03/u...
February 17, 2022
Cyber attack in a university in Switzerland
Neuchâtel, Canton de Neuchâtel, Switzerland
https://www.arcinfo.ch/neuchatel-canton/...
February 11, 2022
Cyber attack on an engineering school in France
EPF Ecole d'ingénieurs - Cachan, Île-de-France / Val-de-Marne, France
https://www.epf.fr/article/communique-de...
February 4, 2022
Cyberattack on a university of applied sciences in Finland
Savonia-ammattikorkeakoulu (Savonia AMK) - Kuopio, Finland
https://www.savonia.fi/uutiset/savoniaan...
February 4, 2022
Cyber attack on a private university in Detroit
University of Detroit Mercy - Detroit, Michigan, USA
https://www.audacy.com/wwjnewsradio/news...
January 27, 2022
More DDoS attacks on a University of Applied Sciences in Germany
FH Münster - Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
https://twitter.com/fh_muenster/status/1...
January 2022
DDoS attacks on a University of Applied Sciences in Germany
FH Münster - Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
https://www.fh-muenster.de/hochschule/ak...
January 2022
Cyber attack on a university in Colorado
University of Colorado Boulder - Boulder, Colorado, USA
https://www.cuindependent.com/2022/02/10...
January 12, 2022
DDoS attack on a university magazine in the Netherlands
observant - Maastricht, Netherlands
https://www.observantonline.nl/Home/Arti...
Statistics: Cyber attacks on colleges and universities 2021
December 31, 2021
Cyber attack on a university in Barcelona
Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) - Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
https://cronicaglobal.elespanol.com/crea...
December 2021
Cyberattack on a college in Illinois
Lincoln College - Lincoln, Illinois, USA
The cyberattack contributed to the college's May 2022 closure.
https://lincolncollege.edu/
10 December 2021
Cyber attack on a university in Brazil
Instituto Federal do Paraná (IFPR) - Brasilia, Brazil
https://www.tecmundo.com.br/redes-sociai...
23 November 2021
Cyberattack on a university in Bogotá, Colombia
Universidad Javeriana - Bogota, Colombia
https://www.rcnradio.com/bogota/universi...
15 November 2021
Unauthorized access to email at a university in New York state
Syracuse University - Syracuse, New York, USA
https://dailyorange.com/2022/03/two-emai...
1. November 2021
Cyberattack on the Nuremberg Institute of Technology, Germany
Nuremberg Institute of Technology / Nuremberg Tech - Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany
https://www.th-nuernberg.de/news/4436-cy...
October 30, 2021
Cyberattack on the University of Lisbon
Universidade de Lisboa - Lisbon, Portugal
https://www.publico.pt/2021/11/02/socied...
October 2021
Hacker attack on a university of education in Germany
Pädagogische Hochschule Weingarten - Weingarten, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
https://ph-weingarten.de/die-ph/aktuelle...
October 13, 2021
Cyberattack on the Sunderland University
Sunderland University - Sunderland, England, United Kingdom
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tyne...
11 October 2021
Ransomware at a university in Barcelona
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona / Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona - Barcelona, Spain
https://www.uab.cat/2021/11/11/la-uab-co...
2 October 2021
Ransomware attack on a university in Maryland, USA
Washington Adventist University (WAU) - Takoma Park, Maryland, USA
https://www.wau.edu/wau-ransomware-attac...
2021
The University of Mpumalanga in South Africa averts a cyber scam
University of Mpumalanga (UMP) - Mbombela, Mpumalanga, South Africa
As a result of the successful defense, the university lost only 3000 Rand (200 US Dollars) instead of potentially 100 million Rand (6.7 millon US Dollars)
https://www.itweb.co.za/content/Kjlyrvw1...
30 September 2021
Ransomware at an institute of the University of Leipzig, Germany
Institut für Medizinische Informatik, Statistik und Epidemiologie (IMISE) - Leipzig, Saxonia, Germany
https://www.imise.uni-leipzig.de/
30 September 2021
Cyber attack on the university of Galway, Ireland
National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway) - Galway, Ireland
https://www.rte.ie/news/2021/0930/124991...
3 September 2021
Ransomware at a private university in Washington, D.C.
Howard University - Washington, D.C., USA
Affected is the Howard University.
https://newsroom.howard.edu/newsroom/art...
September 1, 2021
Hacker attack on the University of Colorado Boulder
University of Colorado Boulder - Boulder, Colorado, USA (Boulder County)
The attack on vulnerability in an Atlassian software leaked personal data of 30,000 former employees and students.
https://www.colorado.edu/today/2021/10/2...
August 16, 2021
Ransomware attack on University of Liechtenstein
University of Liechtenstein - Liechtenstein
In the night from Sunday 15.08. to Monday 16.08., University of Liechtenstein became a victim of a ransomware attack.
https://www.uni.li/de
July 2021
Targeted attack on experts with a focus on the Middle East
London, United Kingdom
The security service provider Proofpoint has analyzed a targeted attack on experts, professors and journalists with a focus on the Middle East. Access data to various online services was to be tapped via the compromised website of a well-known institute of the University of London. The attack is attributed to Iran.
https://www.proofpoint.com/us/blog/threa...
July 2021
Server of a university in the Netherlands hacked
Leiden, Netherlands
Server of Leiden University Observatory was hacked and data was siphoned off, perpetrators demand about 450,000 Euros.
https://www.ad.nl/tech/universiteit-leid...
June 2021
Cyber attack on university in Bogota, Colombia
University Bogota - Bogota, Colombia
https://agenciapi.co/noticia/academia/un...
May 2021
Cyber attack on a university in Glasgow
Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) - Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
https://www.gcu.ac.uk/theuniversity/univ...
April 2021
IT attack on the Technical University of Berlin
Technical University of Berlin - Berlin, Germany
https://www.tu.berlin/themen/einschraenk...
April 2021
Data theft at the University of California
University of California - California, USA
Through a vulnerability in file transfer software.
https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu...
3 April 2021
Ransomware at a college in Dublin, Ireland
National College of Ireland (NCI) - Dublin, Ireland
https://www.thejournal.ie/tu-dublin-rans...
1 April 2021
Ransomware attack at a university in Dublin, Ireland
Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) - Dublin, Ireland
https://www.thejournal.ie/tu-dublin-rans...
March 2021
Data theft at the Stanford University
Stanford University - Stanford, California, USA (Santa Clara County)
Through a vulnerability in file transfer software.
https://www.stanforddaily.com/2021/04/01...
17 March 2021
Hacker attack on the University of Northampton
University of Northampton - Northampton, England, United Kingdom
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nort...
March 8, 2021
Cyberattack on a university in Scotland
University of the Highlands and Islands - Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-hig...
February 28, 2021
Cyber attack on the University of Millersville, Pennsylvania
Millersville University of Penn. - Millersville, Pennsylvania, USA
http://thesnapper.millersville.edu/index...
February 2021
Data theft and extortion at US university
University of Colorado - Colorado, USA
Through a vulnerability in file transfer software.
https://www.cu.edu/accellion-cyberattack
January 18, 2021
Ransomware at a university in Nebraska
Midland University - Fremont, Nebraska, USA
https://ago.vermont.gov/blog/2022/01/25/...
January 2021
Multiple University of Huntsville email accounts compromised
University of Alabama in Huntsville - Huntsville, Alabama, USA
https://www.waff.com/2021/02/19/uah-emai...
About the author
Bert Kondruss
Cyber security analyst
Founder and Managing Director of KonBriefing.com
Do you have questions? Send me an email
Contact
Cyber security analyst
Founder and Managing Director of KonBriefing.com
Do you have questions? Send me an email
Contact