UMT Hit by a Massive Hacker Attack

The incident at UMT highlights the increasing threat of targeted ransomware attacks against organizations globally.

UMT Hit by a Massive Hacker Attack. The University of Management and Technology (UMT) has fallen victim to a ransomware attack, disrupting its online database and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. The cyberattack has caused widespread disruption to internal services, including course registration, fee challan generation, attendance tracking, and grading transcript management.

Sources indicate that the university’s data center was compromised by a ransomware virus, leading to significant impacts on its systems and operations. As a result, the personal information of thousands of students and employees is at risk.

UMT’s dedicated staff are working tirelessly to mitigate the effects of the attack, focusing on restoring critical services such as student and faculty portals, Learning Management Systems (LMS), ERP services, and the attendance system. Despite assurances from UMT that services would be restored in a few days, nearly a month has passed since the attack, and systems remain inaccessible.

Ransomware, a type of malware that encrypts and locks victims’ data, files, devices, or systems, has become a growing threat globally. The identity of the hackers responsible for the attack on UMT and the extent of the damage remain uncertain.

According to UMT’s Public Relations officer, while the university’s systems were temporarily taken down due to the attack, efforts are underway to gradually restore services. He reassures that student registrations and other systems are operational, with no reported data breaches.

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The incident at UMT highlights the increasing threat of targeted ransomware attacks against organizations globally. Recent research from cybersecurity firm Kaspersky reveals a 30% surge in targeted ransomware groups from 2022 to 2023, with a corresponding 70% increase in victims within the same period.