Pontifical Salesian University hit by a cyber attack, all digital services disrupted

The Pontifical Salesian University (Università Pontificia Salesiana - UPS) in Rome reports a cyber attack that hit the univeristy on August 19, 2025.

The attack rendered the university's website and all digital services inaccessible. The incident caused significant inconvenience to students, faculty, and administrative staff across the institution's multiple campuses in Rome, Turin, and Jerusalem.

ational Cybersecurity Agency (ACN) and Italy's Postal Police immediately responded to conduct investigations and implement containment measures. UPS has suspended its institutional email services using the @unisal.it domain and are using an alternative communication channel through a Gmail account (universitapontificiasalesiana@gmail.com) to maintain essential contact capabilities during the recovery period. 

The nature of the attack has not been disclosed, but language in the university's press release referencing the need to "assess the damage and initiate recovery operations" suggests this may have been a ransomware incident. 

Any exposed data and number of affected individuals are not disclosed. 

The university has committed to providing regular updates on restoration progress through official channels, including social media platforms and WhatsApp.