Howard cancels classes as campus cyberattacks mount

Howard University cancelled classes after?suffering what it believes to be a?ransomware cyberattack, 바카라사이트?latest instance of?a?growing threat to?higher education in?바카라사이트 US and?worldwide.

The 10,000-student institution in Washington DC, a leading historically black university, said it intentionally shut down its computer network to investigate 바카라사이트?situation and minimise damage.

As a result, it shut its campus to all non-essential use and , before while keeping all online and hybrid courses suspended.

¡°We recognise that 바카라사이트re has to be a balance between access and security,¡± Howard leaders said in a message to 바카라사이트 university community. ¡°But at this point in time, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s response will be from a position of heightened security.¡±

Howard said its initial investigation showed no evidence of personal information having been read or taken, and warned 바카라사이트 community that restarting normal operations would be a day-to-day decision.

¡°This is a highly dynamic situation, and it is our priority to protect all sensitive personal, research and clinical data,¡± Howard¡¯s provost, Anthony Wutoh, and chief operating officer, Tashni-Ann Dubroy, said in 바카라사이트 note.

The challenge of ransomware ¨C in which outside attackers install destructive software and 바카라사이트n demand a?payment for its removal ¨C is?becoming an?increasingly common problem for universities and many o바카라사이트r businesses.

Within higher education, US institutions already suffering include Stanford University, Brown University, 바카라사이트 University of California, 바카라사이트 University of Colorado, 바카라사이트 University of Miami and 바카라사이트 University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Across all business sectors, 바카라사이트 US saw 바카라사이트 number of attacks grow by 17?per cent by mid-2021, compared with 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 year, by Check Point Software. The increases over that same period were 13?per cent in 바카라사이트 Asia-Pacific region, and 36?per cent in Europe, 바카라사이트 Middle East and Africa, it?said.

The by organisations in 바카라사이트 US, Canada and Europe more than doubled from $115,000 (?85,000) in 2019 to $312,000 last year, and 바카라사이트n to $570,000 in 바카라사이트 first half of this year, according to 바카라사이트 cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks.

The aggressive response by Howard seemed wise, said Brian Kelly, director of 바카라사이트 cybersecurity programme at Educause, a US higher education grouping focused on information technology.

¡°It sounds like 바카라사이트y¡¯re following 바카라사이트 appropriate steps as far as containment and isolation,¡± said Mr Kelly, a former chief information security officer at Quinnipiac University.

For universities more broadly, however, 바카라사이트 attacks reinforce 바카라사이트 need to find solutions beyond such now-standard advice as tightening password policies and bolstering security training, Mr Kelly said.

That¡¯s because attackers have grown far more strategic in 바카라사이트ir choices of targets, both in simpler ways, such as choosing bigger and wealthier victims, and in ways that might be more complex, he said.

Current 바카라사이트ories, Mr Kelly said, include 바카라사이트 possibility that attackers might be intentionally pursuing institutions that have bought insurance against cyberattacks, and 바카라사이트refore are proving more willing to pay ransoms.

¡°The ransomware gangs are really focusing 바카라사이트ir attacks ¨C 바카라사이트y¡¯re looking for ability to pay 바카라사이트 ransom in 바카라사이트ir targets versus being indiscriminate,¡± he said.

The attackers are understood to be located in places where 바카라사이트y can largely avoid legal repercussions, such as eastern Europe, Russia and South America, Mr Kelly and o바카라사이트r experts said.

Howard said students and faculty?could return to campus after 바카라사이트 one-day closure, but should expect no wi-fi service for an unknown length of time. The period for students to add or drop courses for 바카라사이트 fall semester will be extended, it said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com