WA University Mandates Password Changes for Students After Cyber Attack

Over the weekend, The University of Western Australia (UWA) disclosed that it had experienced a cyber incident, resulting in staff and students being locked out of its network until they reset their passwords. The university reported that it detected unauthorised access to password information, prompting the security measure to restrict access to all UWA systems. In a statement, UWA emphasised that all staff and students must change their passwords to regain access. The university’s Chief Information Officer, Fiona Bishop, confirmed that the critical incident management team was activated to address the cyber attack, with IT teams working diligently throughout the weekend to secure the network.

Bishop reassured the community that there was currently no evidence of any data beyond passwords being accessed, and no threat actor had reached out, indicating there was no sign of ransomware. She expressed satisfaction with the response efforts and acknowledged that ongoing support would be provided to assist individuals in resetting their passwords. The investigation into the incident remains a top priority for UWA, as they continue to assess the situation and ensure the security of their systems. 

Categories: Cybersecurity Incident, Password Reset, University Response 

Tags: Cyber Incident, University, Access, Password, Staff, Students, Network, Investigation, Security, Ransomware