Data breach hits DePauw University after Black Suit ransomware attack

Indiana-based liberal arts school DePauw University has data from current and prospective students compromised following a cyberattack detected on Oct. 31, which has since been claimed by the Black Suit ransomware operation, reports The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future. Initial investigation into the incident revealed that threat actors were able to access some individuals' limited information, said DePauw University, which has already notified the impacted individuals. Such a disclosure comes as the Black Suit ransomware gang took credit for the intrusion, which was claimed to result in the exfiltration of 214 GB of data. Ransomware attacks have already impacted 76 colleges and universities so far this year, compared with 44 post-secondary education institutions for the entirety of 2022, according to Emsisoft ransomware expert Brett Callow. Meanwhile, mounting ransomware incidence against schools has been attributed by Recorded Future threat intelligence analyst Allan Liska to the growing number of ransomware operations, including those that specialize in attacking schools, as well as persistent security weaknesses in educational institutions.