La Sapienza University reportedly hit by ransomware attack, operations disrupted

According to Bleeping Computer, La Sapienza University in Rome, Europe's largest university by student enrollment, has been subjected to a significant cyberattack that has crippled its IT systems and caused widespread operational disruptions.

The university confirmed the incident earlier this week, implementing an immediate shutdown of network systems as a precautionary measure. While the university has not officially disclosed the attack's specifics, Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera reports it as a ransomware attack by a pro-Russian threat actor known as Femwar02, utilizing malware similar to the Bablock/Rorschach ransomware. This strain, which appeared in 2023, is known for its rapid encryption capabilities.

Although the university has not engaged with the ransom demand to avoid triggering a 72-hour countdown, the data remains encrypted, according to Corriere Della Sera. Technicians are working with Italian cybersecurity authorities and law enforcement to restore systems from unaffected backups.

Source: Bleeping Computer