One of Europe’s largest universities knocked offline for days after cyberattack

La Sapienza University in Rome, one of the largest institutions of higher education in Europe with a student body of approximately 120,000, has faced a significant setback as its computer systems have been incapacitated for three days due to a suspected ransomware attack. In a recent update shared on Instagram, the university reported that it took its systems offline as a precautionary measure. The administration is actively investigating the situation and is working diligently to restore all digital services. However, they noted that certain communication channels, including email and workstations, are currently experiencing partial limitations. La Sapienza is relying on unaffected backups to restore its systems, but as of now, the university's website remains inaccessible. According to Italian news outlet Il Corriere della Sera, the disruption is attributed to a ransomware attack, although neither the university nor local authorities have officially confirmed this. Reports indicate that the hackers sent a ransom request link, which features a 72-hour countdown that activates upon clicking. Efforts to gather more information about the attack have been met with limited success. La Sapienza has not responded to inquiries from TechCrunch regarding the incident, and it is currently unclear if the university can receive emails. Meanwhile, representatives from Italy's national cybersecurity agency, Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale (ACN), which is investigating the matter, have also been unresponsive. Further insights suggest that the hacking group responsible for the attack is named 'Femwar02,' a group that has only recently gained notoriety. They are believed to have employed the BabLock malware, also referred to as Rorschach, which was first identified in 2023. Despite the ongoing cyber issues, La Sapienza has assured students that examinations will continue as scheduled. However, students wishing to register for exams must do so directly with their professors. To assist students during this challenging time, the university has established information points across multiple campus locations. Universities are increasingly becoming targets for cybercriminals. A notable example from last year includes the hacking of Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania by the ShinyHunters group, which stole sensitive data without employing malware to encrypt systems. It was reported that those institutions ultimately did not pay the ransom demanded.