Aix-Marseille University, the largest and one of the oldest institutions in France, was hit by a cyberattack, leading to the temporary shutdown of its network and sending staff home.
The university’s management stated that the attack originated from a foreign country but was swiftly detected by their security systems, allowing them to take the network offline and prevent major damage. Local media reported that the network was intentionally shut down to disrupt the attack and mitigate potential data breaches.
Aix-Marseille University, with approximately 80,000 students, is now working to gradually restore its services following the incident.
The exact nature of the cyberattack has yet to be confirmed, and it remains unknown whether any data was stolen or if an extortion note was sent to the institution. If a data breach is discovered, the university has pledged to inform law enforcement authorities.
Clara Bufi, the director of communications for the university, emphasized the quick response of their services, which helped prevent significant damage.
Although the university’s website was inaccessible during the attack, it has since been restored as the institution continues its business resumption plan to gradually bring back services. However, students and staff are currently unable to engage in educational activities that rely on access to tools on the university network.
