QUT
said
11,405
individuals
had
their
data
breached
in
a
December
cyber
attack,
higher
than
initial
estimates
of
around
2500
individuals.
In
a
revised statement,
the
university
said
the
breach
affected
2492
current
staff
and
8846
former
staff.
It
also
impacted
a
small
number
of
students
–
17
current
students,
and
50
former
students.
Data
that
may
have
been
breached
included
bank
account
numbers,
and
for
3820
individuals,
their
tax
file
numbers.
Those
affected
are
being
contacted
so
that
the
university
can
provide
them
with
ID
protection
services,
expert
counselling,
and
there’s
a
dedicated
staff
help
line.
The
university
said
all
those
affected
have
now
been
contacted.
According
to
the
ABC,
the
cause
is
a
ransomware
attack.
The
university
has
linked
the
attack
to
the
Royal
ransomware
variant.
The
attack
led
QUT
to
take
its
Blackboard
teaching
system
offline,
along
with
various
staff
systems
including
its
Cisco-based
remote
access
network,
network
storage,
and
printers.
“The
first
phase
of
the
response
involved
adding
security
measures
including
all
students
and
staff
resetting
passwords,
introduction
of
additional
verification
steps
for
those
working
and
studying
remotely,
and
careful
restoration
of
affected
systems
after
eliminating
the
offending
ransomware,”
the
university
said.
“We
have
also
implemented
additional
expert
monitoring
and
validation
mechanisms.
“At
every
stage
of
our
response
we
have
been
in
regular
communication
with
staff
and
students
and
all
relevant
Queensland
and
federal
authorities.”
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