Memorial University’s Grenfell Campus in Corner Brook has faced a delay in the commencement of in-person classes for the winter semester due to an ongoing cybersecurity incident. Originally scheduled to start on Thursday, classes have been rescheduled to begin on Monday. The delay also applies to classes at the Western Regional School of Nursing, excluding fourth-year students in Course 4516, who will start as planned. The Marine Institute’s IT services have been temporarily shut down as a precaution.
The university, in a statement, mentioned that security protocols were implemented to isolate the affected systems, but detailed information about the nature of the incident remains limited. The university has assured that, at this stage, there is no indication of the incident affecting IT services or data on other campuses. An investigation has been initiated, and law enforcement has been informed. The university plans to directly notify individuals if their information is found to be affected by the cybersecurity incident.
Memorial University spokesperson Chad Pelley declined a CBC News interview request, stating that the university will strive to make a spokesperson available in the coming days. While acknowledging the questions surrounding the incident, Pelley mentioned that the university does not have additional information or updates to share at the moment. The delay in classes and the cybersecurity incident highlight the growing challenges faced by educational institutions in ensuring the security and continuity of their operations in the face of cyber threats.
