Ireland’s South East Technological University (SETU) has disclosed a cybersecurity incident affecting its Waterford campus, temporarily halting classes and disrupting IT services. The university’s internal IT team, alongside external cybersecurity experts, is working to resolve issue related to the SETU cyberattack and minimize disruptions.
In a statement released on SETU’s website, students were advised that classes on the Waterford campuses would be postponed on Monday, November 4, to allow faculty to adjust their plans amid the outage. Classes are set to resume on Tuesday, November 5, but students and staff may continue to experience limited access to certain services.
“Following Monday’s class postponement, we can confirm that classes on our Waterford campuses will resume on Tuesday, November 5,” SETU said. “However, staff and students may still experience some disruptions as we continue our efforts to resume normal services.”
SETU Cyberattack: No Specific Details Disclosed
Although the specific nature of the SETU cyberattack has not been disclosed, SETU’s statement reassures the community that they identified the incident “at the earliest possible stage.”
An email from the university’s Vice-President for Student Experience, David Denieffe, informed staff that ongoing investigations have shown no evidence of data compromise. However, national broadcaster RTÉ reported that the full extent of the impact remains uncertain and may not be known until the end of next week.
As a result of the incident, SETU’s Waterford campus is facing extensive IT disruptions. Staff and students have been left without access to campus internet, email, file-sharing services, and other digital resources necessary for teaching and administration. The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) branch in Waterford sent an email to its members, warning that the campus might remain offline throughout the week. It advised faculty to print materials from home if possible, as on-campus systems remain largely inaccessible.
The statement on SETU’s website reiterated the collaborative efforts with cybersecurity specialists and relevant authorities to manage the situation. “Our internal IT team is working closely with external cybersecurity experts to address the situation and minimize any potential impact,” the statement reads.
Why Cybercriminals Target Educational Institutes
The cyberattack on SETU’s IT infrastructure is part of a troubling trend of cyber incidents targeting educational institutions. In July 2024, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences also faced a similar cyberattack, leading to a total shutdown of its IT systems. According to a statement from Frankfurt University, hackers struck at approximately 8 p.m. on July 6, causing significant disruption to its operations.
Similarly, in June 2024, Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) suffered a major cyber assault, which forced the political party to shut down parts of its IT infrastructure temporarily. These incidents underscore the growing threat of cyberattacks on organizations with extensive data assets.
Recent studies show that cybercriminals are increasingly targeting universities for the rich stores of sensitive data they hold. In particular, ransomware, phishing scams, and credential theft have become common tactics. Universities often store large amounts of research data, student records, and financial information, making them lucrative targets for cybercriminals. According to Verizon’s 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report, the education sector experienced 1,780 cyber incidents in 2023, with 1,537 involving confirmed data disclosure. This represents a 258% increase in the number of incidents and a significant 545% rise in the amount of exposed data compared to the previous year.
Many of these incidents were linked to vulnerabilities like the MOVEit transfer exploit, which affected 900 U.S. schools. While no data breaches have been reported in SETU’s case so far, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for robust cybersecurity measures within educational institutions.
For now, SETU is prioritizing the restoration of its Waterford campus’s IT systems and ensuring that staff and students can resume academic activities with minimal disruption.
The university’s internal IT team, in collaboration with external cybersecurity experts, is continuing its investigation while closely monitoring the system for any potential signs of further compromise.
