Several Dutch universities and colleges have shut down their digital learning systems following a major cyberattack on the software platform Canvas. Hackers successfully compromised the sites of multiple institutions, forcing IT teams to pull the environments offline to prevent further damage.
The University of Amsterdam, the Vrije Universiteit, and universities in Twente, Maastricht, Tilburg, and Rotterdam have all blocked access to the platform. While this has caused some technical hurdles, most institutions have confirmed that lectures and seminars are still going ahead where possible.
The Universities of the Netherlands (UNL) confirmed that the hackers managed to steal personal information belonging to students and staff. The leaked data includes names and email addresses, along with student and employee identification numbers. In total, seven major universities have been confirmed as victims of the breach.
The impact has also spread to universities of applied sciences, such as Fontys and the HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht. Both have suspended their Canvas services, though they are pushing ahead with scheduled exams and lessons that do not rely on the hacked software.
@anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
