The University of Texas at Arlington is investigating a cybersecurity incident that may have involved unauthorized activity in some of its information technology systems. The suspected UTA cyberattack came to light Thursday, when the university sent a notice to students and employees about the situation.
According to the notice, the incident has affected MachForms, an online form platform the university uses for several purposes, including event registrations, inquiries from prospective students, service requests, and surveys.
The university said it is still working to determine whether the UTA cyberattack has spread to other university systems or disrupted additional operations.
Timeline of the UTA cyberattack
Problems first appeared on Oct. 27, when MachForms became temporarily unavailable, according to the university’s cybersecurity website. Technicians from the Office of Information Technology began investigating the issue at that time. On Wednesday, the office started corrective measures aimed at restoring services as soon as possible.
Since then, public information has been limited. As of Tuesday night, the cybersecurity website had not posted any updates since Thursday.
What the University of Texas Is Asking Students and Employees to Do
The university’s email outlined several steps for students and staff to follow while the investigation into the cyberattack on UTA continues.
First, the university asked everyone to follow official guidance from the Office of Information Technology and the Information Security Office, and to pay close attention to university communications.
Second, anyone who notices suspicious activity, such as unusual computer behavior, a suspicious email or anything else that raises cybersecurity concerns, should report it to the Information Security Office at [email protected].
Third, students and employees were told not to investigate the incident on their own or circulate unverified information. Questions should be directed to a department head or the Office of Information Technology, and people should rely on official updates for confirmed information. If a journalist reaches out, students and employees are asked to refer them to UTA’s media relations team.
Finally, the notice asked the campus community to follow any additional instructions. If action involving passwords, devices, systems, or work practices becomes necessary, students and employees will receive specific guidance through official university channels.
MachForms remains affected for now. Students and employees who need access to the platform for urgent and significant operational needs can contact the Office of Information Technology service desk at uta.edu/help.
The University of Texas at Arlington has not said how long the investigation will take or when full service will be restored.
