Kansas State University (K-State) is dealing with a cybersecurity incident that has disrupted various network systems, including VPN, K-State Today emails, and video services on Canvas and Mediasite. The public land-grant research university, offering numerous academic programs, confirmed the cyberattack after experiencing disruptions in its IT systems. Upon detection, impacted systems were taken offline, affecting services like VPN, emails, Canvas, Mediasite videos, printing, shared drives, and mailing list management. The university is dedicating significant resources to bring the systems back online safely and has engaged third-party IT forensic experts for an ongoing investigation.
Guidance has been provided to academic deans on maintaining educational continuity using alternative resources. Students and staff are advised to remain vigilant against suspicious activity and report it to the university’s IT help desk. An update mentions that email services for “K-State Today” will resume on January 18, 2024, in a temporary format with a different header image and lower volume, and a 48-hour delay in email delivery is expected. While the university is actively addressing the cyberattack, there is no mention yet of a data breach impacting student or personnel information.
This incident follows the ransomware attack on the Memorial University of Newfoundland earlier in the month, leading to a delayed semester start. Currently, no major ransomware groups have claimed responsibility for the attack on Kansas State University, and further updates on the impact and recovery efforts are expected to be posted on the university’s page.
