The University of Western Australia is investigating a major cybersecurity breach that compromised the password information of thousands of staff and students. The breach was detected on a Saturday night, prompting the institution to immediately lock affected accounts and request a campus-wide password reset.
According to the university’s chief information officer Fiona Bishop, a critical incident management team was quickly activated to implement “countermeasures” and begin the recovery process. IT teams and digital experts worked throughout the weekend to secure systems and assist the community in resetting credentials. Bishop praised the rapid response, stating she was “exceptionally pleased” with the efforts to contain the situation. To ease the impact, students have been granted a three-day extension for assessments.
The cybercrime investigation remains in its early stages and is described as complex. Bishop compared it to “following footprints in the sand.” So far, there is no evidence that any data beyond passwords has been accessed. The university confirmed it has not received any claims of responsibility, and there is no indication the incident involved ransomware.
Over the coming days, UWA will continue supporting staff and students during the password reset process. Bishop said this would require sustained effort, with teams available to “man that effort over the course of the next couple of days.” She also warned of the rising cybersecurity risks faced by educational institutions, which she described as “powerhouses of information and learning” and therefore prime targets for cyberattacks.
The university has pledged to strengthen its cybersecurity measures to protect against future incidents. Despite the scope of the breach, no disruption to teaching is expected, and classes will continue as planned. The priority remains restoring full account access for staff and students as quickly as possible, ensuring academic operations return to normal.
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