Stanford University impacted by ransomware cyberattack
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The Stanford University Department of Public Safety (SUDPS) experienced a cybersecurity intrusion when hackers successfully bypassed their firewall and penetrated the network, putting at risk their network and the data it contains.
SUDPS is the department responsible for ensuring the safety and security of the Stanford University campus and its community members. This includes services such as policing, emergency response, and other safety-related functions.
SUDPS confirmed that a comprehensive investigation into the hack was actively ongoing. The police's emergency response capabilities remained intact and all other operational aspects proceeded without any hitches.
A month after the initial discovery of the SUDPS breach, the broader Stanford community remains in the dark regarding the specifics of the compromised data and systems. While the full impact of this breach is yet to be determined, preliminary findings from the University's internal investigation suggest the breach didn't spread to other sectors of the University.
The University clarified that the situation at SUDPS has been fully resolved and that all their systems are back to normal operations.
Update - On 8th of November Akira ransomware gang claimes it breached the institution and exfiltrated 430 GB of data, including private information and confidential documents. Stanford is investigating the claims.
On 12th of March 2023 Stanford University reports that the incident affected the personal data of approximately 27,000 individuals. The compromised data includes
- dates of birth,
- Social Security numbers,
- various government identification numbers including passports and driver's licenses,
- biometric and health/medical information,
- email addresses and passwords,
- usernames and passwords,
- security questions and answers,
- digital signatures,
- credit card information including security codes.
Earlier in the year, the University grappled with two other significant cybersecurity issues: one in February due to a system malfunction and another in April attributed to issues with third-party software. Both of these prior incidents had ramifications for the personal privacy of the Stanford community. The nature of the recent SUDPS breach and its similarities, if any, to the prior incidents remain uncertain.
