Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences announced on Monday that it had fallen victim to a cyberattack, leading to a complete shutdown of its IT systems.
The university revealed that the cyberattack on Frankfurt University occurred at approximately 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 6, 2024. “The Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences was the target of a serious hacker attack on July 6, 2024 at around 8 p.m.,” reads the official statement.
In a statement posted on their website, which now serves as a temporary homepage, the institution shared details of the incident and the steps being taken to mitigate the damage.
Details of the Cyberattack on Frankfurt University
“Despite very high-security precautions, the criminals managed to gain access to parts of the university’s IT infrastructure. As an immediate security measure, external access to our IT systems was blocked and some services were switched off. The communications infrastructure was also restricted. In addition, the police and the relevant authorities were called in,” read the official statement from the university.
The exact nature of the Frankfurt University cyberattack remains unconfirmed, and the university has yet to determine the full extent of the damage. Consequently, there is currently no timeline for when IT systems and services will return to normal.
While on-site operations, including all courses, are continuing, several key services have been disrupted:
- Elevators: For safety reasons, elevators in the university buildings are out of service.
- Online Enrollment: Enrollment processes have been halted due to the unavailability of online systems.
- Communication: The university is not reachable by email or telephone for external communication.
In urgent cases, individuals can contact the university via a temporary email address: [email protected].
Further, the university is directing students to their website, www.frankfurt-uas.de, for detailed information regarding examinations, CampUAS, colloquia, and which services from the internal campus network are currently operational.
Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences has committed to providing continuous updates on its website, as well as through its LinkedIn and Facebook profiles, to keep the university community informed about the latest developments and any changes to the status of its IT systems and services. “We will continuously inform you about new developments on this website and on the university’s LinkedIn and Facebook profiles,” reads the official post.
Professors, employees, and lecturers have been advised to access critical information through Confluence within the university’s LAN at https://confluence.frankfurt-university.de/x/TbP_DQ.
Communication and Updates
Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences has committed to providing continuous updates on its website, as well as through its LinkedIn and Facebook profiles, to keep the university community informed about the latest developments and any changes to the status of its IT systems and services. “We will continuously inform you about new developments on this website and on the university’s LinkedIn and Facebook profiles,” reads the official post.
The university, home to around 15,000 students, is not currently able to enroll new students online nor communicate via external email or telephone. It remains unclear whether the summer holidays might mitigate the impact on the bulk of the student body. Despite these disruptions, on-site courses are still running.
Recent Cyberattacks in Germany
The cyberattack on Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences follows a spate of cyber incidents affecting universities of applied sciences (Hochschules) in Germany, which specialize in engineering, technology, business, and architecture. Earlier this year, Hochschule Kempten announced it had been targeted by a criminal cyberattack.
In June 2024, Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) also faced a large-scale cyber assault, forcing the prominent opposition party to temporarily shut down parts of its IT infrastructure. These incidents highlight the growing vulnerability of educational and political institutions in the digital age.
The cyberattack on the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences has disrupted its IT systems and services, but the institution remains committed to maintaining educational operations and supporting its community during this challenging time. Continuous updates will be provided as the situation develops and efforts to restore normalcy progress.