
Israel’s top technology school, Technion University, was hit by an unknown ransomware gang calling itself DarkBit.
Previously unknown group DarkBit hit Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, the country‘s top technical research institution. Attackers are demanding the university 80 bitcoins (over $1.7m) to return stolen data.
A ransom note obtained by researchers at vx-underground and CyberIL implies that the attackers’ motives could be political, as the message includes accusations about the university’s supposed crimes.
The university’s website was inaccessible at the time of writing this article.
The university acknowledged the attack, saying the attack is under investigation by Technion’s experts together with security experts from outside the institution.
“Technion proactively blocked all communication networks at this stage,” reads the university’s message.
DarkBit ransomware is not a known criminal group or a strain of malware. However, its name echoes infamous syndicates such as DarkSide and LockBit.
According to reports by local media, Israel’s cyber watchdog, the Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD), is already assisting Technion with the investigation into the matter.
Classes are said to resume at the university, albeit without access to Technion’s IT systems or internet connection, severely limiting the ability to work in a digitally focused institution.
Technion is Israel’s oldest university, ranking among the world’s top educational institutions. The university produced several Nobel Laureates and is considered a cornerstone in Israel’s high-tech industry.
More from Cybernews:
US and UK sanction Conti, Ryuk, and Trickbot developers
Two California cities hit with ransomware in two days, police forced to patrol using handheld radios
Over 3 million patient records breached in California health network ransomware attack
Users flock to sign up for Microsoft’s new AI powered Bing, Google behind the power curve yet again
Madison Square Garden's facial recognition and dangerous surveillance trends
Subscribe to our newsletter
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked