The University of Winnipeg reacted to a ‘cyber incident’ affecting its infrastructure, prompting the cancellation of Monday’s classes. The University of Winnipeg Cyber Incident occurred on Sunday, causing widespread outages across the university’s operations.
After implementing an immediate action plan, which involved shutting down several student and faculty services to secure its infrastructure and prevent further damage, the university resumed classes on Tuesday.
The announcement regarding the cybersecurity incident, along with details of the action plan and responses to inquiries from students and staff, was posted on the university’s website.
University of Winnipeg Cyber Incident Update
Although classes resumed on Tuesday for University of Winnipeg, PACE, and Collegiate students, online courses managed through NEXUS remained suspended initially. The university clarified that the incident wasn’t classified as a cyberattack but rather labeled as a ‘cyber incident.
Mitigation strategies were promptly implemented, including the temporary suspension of several operational services to facilitate a investigation into the incident. Despite the challenges posed by the disruption, the university remained committed to restoring interrupted services and minimizing the impact on academic activities.
The disruption also affected the U of W Collegiate, a high school on campus serving students in grades 9-12, highlighting the repercussions of the University of Winnipeg cybersecurity incident. Students, faculty, and staff were advised to exercise caution and utilize alternative resources while the situation was being addressed.
“We thank all students, faculty, and staff for their patience as we work to make all services available, and we look forward to having our community back on campus to finish the winter term. Although regular campus internet/Wi-Fi is not yet available, anyone on campus can able to access the internet using a temporary network titled TEMPWIFI”, reads the notification letter.
The university also notified students and faculty members to stay logged into their devices to avoid authentication issues. “Do not log out of your trusted device. If you have logged out of your trusted device and have no access to your institutional email, provide your instructor with an alternative email (e.g., your Gmail address)”, added the university.
The Response to the University of Winnipeg Cybersecurity Incident
In response to the disruption, staff members were encouraged to work remotely if feasible, given the ongoing Wi-Fi and internet connectivity issues. Faculty members, including Scott Forbes, expressed concerns about the disruption’s implications, particularly with impending exams and academic deadlines.
The incident, which affected over 9,000 enrolled students, necessitated the cancellation of classes on Monday as a precautionary measure. Students were instructed to refrain from attending classes due to disabled campus Wi-Fi and the unavailability of critical academic services and resources.
Efforts to restore interrupted services were underway, with updates on the progress provided to the university community through official channels. External partners were enlisted to assist in resolving the situation, and relevant authorities were duly notified about the incident.
While awaiting further updates, students, faculty, and staff were directed to consult the university’s FAQs for information and support regarding the ongoing situation. The Cyber Express reached out to the university for additional information regarding the University of Winnipeg cyber incident. However, at the time of writing this, no official statement or response has been received regarding any cyberattacks or involvement of a ransomware group.
Media Disclaimer: This report is based on internal and external research obtained through various means. The information provided is for reference purposes only, and users bear full responsibility for their reliance on it. The Cyber Express assumes no liability for the accuracy or consequences of using this information.