TU/e is urging everyone to be extra vigilant against phishing emails. These are fake emails from hackers asking you to click on a link or log in somewhere. “The TU/e will never send such emails.”

Cyberattacks, targeted or not, on universities, colleges, and research institutions are increasingly common. The weakest link in IT systems is usually the user, who may click on suspicious links or choose weak passwords.

This past August, the Dutch Research Council (NWO) was targeted by an attack. In 2021, personal data of 530,000 individuals was stolen from the Arnhem and Nijmegen University of Applied Sciences (HAN).

Ransomware

The most notorious attack, however, took place at Maastricht University. During the Christmas break of the 2019/2020 academic year, their systems were held hostage. The university ultimately decided to pay the ransom due to the damage caused to education and research.