The Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences (HS Kaiserslautern) has fallen victim to a ransomware attack, joining a growing list of German-speaking universities that have experienced similar incidents in recent months. The university confirmed the cyberattack, announcing that its entire IT infrastructure, including email accounts and the telephone system, had been taken offline.
With over 6,200 students affected, the university’s facilities, including computer pools and the library, will remain closed until further notice. The identity of the attackers remains unknown, and it is uncertain whether any data was stolen prior to the encryption attempt.
HS Kaiserslautern, one of the largest applied science universities in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, is the latest institution focusing on applied sciences to be targeted by cybercriminals. In previous months, several other universities, including Hamburg University of Applied Sciences and the University of Zurich, have also suffered cyberattacks.
The Harz University of Applied Sciences, Ruhr West University, and the EU/FH European University of Applied Sciences also reported being impacted by cyberattacks. These incidents highlight the increasing frequency of attacks on educational and health institutions.
The ransomware group Vice Society has claimed responsibility for some of these attacks, including the one against the University of Duisburg-Essen. Ransomware attacks have not only affected universities but also impacted private industry in Germany.
Arms company Rheinmetall blamed the Black Basta ransomware group for an attack, while Bitmarck, a major IT service provider in Germany’s health insurance system, and drug development giant Evotec have also fallen victim to cyberattacks. These incidents emphasize the need for heightened cybersecurity measures to protect critical infrastructure and sensitive data across various sectors in Germany.
