Cyberattacks disrupt Tennessee, Georgia colleges

Separate cyberattacks have impacted Tennessee-based Chattanooga State Community College and Georgia-based Mercer University over the past week, reports The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future. Chattanooga State had its systems shut down after discovering the cyberattack on May 6. Such an incident, which was not confirmed to involve ransomware, has disrupted most of Chatt State's student services, as well as resulted in the cancelation of its National Signing Day set for May 11 and the deferral of classes. Meanwhile, Mercer University has disclosed having its computer network infiltrated, resulting in the theft of Social Security numbers and driver's license numbers. No other details regarding the attack have been provided but the Akira ransomware operation has listed the university among its victims this week. At least 35 colleges and universities across the U.S. have been impacted by ransomware attacks so far this year, according to Emsisoft ransomware expert Brett Callow. "There's been a definite uptick in recent weeks, but spikes aren't unusual," Callow added.