On January 30, the Faculty of Education at HKU fell victim to a cyberattack, prompting immediate actions to isolate the affected servers. A comprehensive investigation is underway, led by external cybersecurity consultants and the Information Technology Services (ITS) of HKU. The examination, initiated on February 2, revealed the potential exfiltration of internal files, encompassing room booking records, guidelines, system management files, and meeting agenda papers dating back to 2012.
According to the Faculty’s preliminary assessment, approximately 400 academic visitors, 3,000 students, and 4,000 research degree program applicants might be affected, with no indication of compromised salary information, bank account details, or HKID numbers. The incident has been reported to the Hong Kong Police Force and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data. The Faculty is actively collaborating with ITS to enhance cybersecurity measures, notifying students and alumni about the incident, and expressing apologies for any inconvenience caused.
