The Universidad Católica de Valencia (UCV) in Spain experienced a ransomware attack on Monday, which resulted in the encryption of various sensitive data stored on its servers. Upon realizing the breach, the university quickly bolstered its security measures and began collaborating with cybersecurity experts and relevant authorities to manage the situation. The goal was to protect user information, contain the incident, and secure the affected systems. The university also emphasized that it was taking all necessary actions to safeguard data during the investigation.
Initial reports reveal that the ransomware attack targeted critical information, including personal identification details, economic data, academic records, professional data, and health-related information. However, there is no clear evidence at this time that unauthorized individuals accessed or misused the data. The university reassured its community that it had backup systems in place and would restore the encrypted data once security could be assured. In the meantime, the university advised students, faculty, and staff to refrain from changing passwords in response to any requests, as an added precaution.
To ensure transparency and legal compliance, UCV announced that it would file a report with both the Spanish police and the Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (AEPD), the national data protection authority. The university expressed regret over the incident and reiterated its commitment to the security and privacy of its community’s data. It assured stakeholders that it was dedicated to implementing robust measures to prevent similar events in the future and would keep them informed of any developments in the investigation.
Despite the attack, UCV’s academic operations were unaffected. The university confirmed that the teaching platform remained fully operational, allowing students and professors to access their course content without interruption. This continuity ensured that educational activities could proceed as planned while the university worked on resolving the cybersecurity breach and strengthening its defenses.
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