Webber International University over the weekend notified 5,251 people of a February 2024 data breach that compromised victims’ names, Social Security numbers, and driver’s license numbers.
Cybercriminal group RansomHub claimed responsibility for the breach, saying it stole 65 GB of data.
Webber’s notification reads, “On or around February 28, 2024, Webber became aware that an unauthorized party was claiming that certain files were copied from Webber’s network without authorization. Upon learning about this claim, Webber initiated an investigation to confirm the nature and scope of the incident, working with third-party specialists. The investigation determined that certain files were copied from Webber’s systems.”
We don’t yet know how much money RansomHub demanded, if Webber paid it or intends to, how attackers breached Webber’s network, or which systems were affected. Comparitech contacted Webber International University for comment and will update this article if it responds.
Comparitech recommends victims take advantage of the free credit monitoring offered by Webber via Experian.
Who is RansomHub?
RansomHub is a new cybercrime group thought to have ties with Russia. It posted its first victim in February 2024. Since then, we have tracked 71 attacks claimed by RansomHub, five of which have been confirmed.
Its recent victims include the Hong Kong College of Technology, UK-based NRS Healthcare, and Christie’s.
RansomHub claimed that it was in possession of the data stolen in the Change Healthcare attack earlier this year. RansomHub’s demand came after Change Healthcare had already paid a $22 million ransom to ALPHV/BlackCat.
RansomHub often extorts victims twice by demanding one ransom for a decryption key to unlock the company’s systems and another for not selling or releasing stolen data.
Ransomware attacks on US education
In addition to data theft, ransomware attacks can cripple key systems, forcing schools to cancel classes and pay high recovery costs.
In 2023, Comparitech logged 111 confirmed ransomware attacks on the education sector in the US, affecting more than 2 million individual records.
So far this year, we’ve recorded 17 ransomware attacks on organizations operating within the education sector. They include the Association of California School Administrators, the Township of Union School District in New Jersey, American International University, Virginia Union University, Camino Nuevo Charter Academy, Lee University, and Traverse City Area Schools.
About Webber International University
Established in 1927, Webber International University is a private university in Babson Park, Florida. About 775 undergraduate students attend.