Cybersecurity Breach at Sandip University: DarkVault Ransomware Attack Overview
Incident Date:
April 26, 2024
Overview
Title
Cybersecurity Breach at Sandip University: DarkVault Ransomware Attack Overview
Victim
Sandip University
Attacker
DarkVault
Location
First Reported
April 26, 2024
DarkVault Ransomware Attack on Sandip University
Overview of the Attack
Sandip University, a prominent private university in India, recently fell victim to a ransomware attack by a group known as DarkVault. The attack involved the deployment of malware, specifically designed to block access to the university's systems and steal sensitive information. The compromised data includes credentials of employees, partners, and students, affecting a total of 44 individuals.
Victim Profile: Sandip University
The university is located in Northern Maharashtra, India, and is recognized for its substantial contributions to higher education, offering a range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs. The institution is notable for its vast 250+ acre campus and strong industry connections, with over 200 companies participating in its annual placement drives. The university's industry-based curriculum has led to a high placement rate, making it a significant entity in the educational sector.
Targeting and Vulnerabilities
The university's extensive digital infrastructure and large data repositories containing sensitive information make it an attractive target for cybercriminals. The high volume of personal and institutional data managed by the university increases the potential payoff for ransomware attackers. Furthermore, the university's significant online presence and dependency on digital platforms for administrative and educational purposes may have exposed vulnerabilities that were exploited by the attackers.
Implications of the Attack
The ransomware attack on Sandip University not only threatens the privacy and security of the affected individuals but also jeopardizes the university's operational capabilities. The breach could lead to significant disruptions in the academic and administrative functions of the university, potentially affecting its reputation and the trust placed in it by students and faculty.
Sources
Recent Ransomware Attacks
The Recent Ransomware Attacks (RRA) site acts as a watchtower, providing you with near real-time ransomware tracking of attacks, groups and their victims. Given threat actors’ overarching, lucrative success so far, ransomware attacks have become the most ubiquitous, and financially and informationally impactful cyber threat to businesses and organizations today.
The site’s data is generated based on hosting choices of real-world threat actors, and a handful of other trackers. While sanitization efforts have been taken, we cannot guarantee 100% accuracy of the data. Attack updates will be made as source data is reported by reputable sources. By viewing, accessing, or using RRA you acknowledge you are doing so at your own risk.