This post is also available in:
עברית (Hebrew)
Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in the Netherlands has been severely impacted by a cyberattack, leading to the shutdown of nearly all its digital services and forcing the cancellation of classes for thousands of students. The attack has made the university’s network-related systems inoperable, severely disrupting educational activities and everyday campus operations.
As one of Europe’s top tech universities, TU/e’s reliance on digital infrastructure means that students and staff cannot access vital services. Email, Wi-Fi, online learning platforms, and even parking systems have been knocked offline. The canteen has also been affected, with payment systems rendered useless.
According to Cybernews, the cyberattack was first detected late on Saturday, January 11th, when IT staff observed unusual activity on university servers. In response, the university decided to shut down its entire network to prevent the attack from escalating further. Although the network outage has caused significant disruptions, university officials have confirmed there is no indication that any sensitive data has been compromised thus far.
The university’s executive board expressed regret over the situation but emphasized the need for these drastic measures to prevent more severe consequences. “We realize that turning off the network has unpleasant consequences for all our students, employees, and other parties on campus. This necessary intervention was taken to prevent it from getting worse,” said Patrick Groothuis, vice-chairman of the executive board.
As TU/e works to restore its network, staff and students have been advised to be cautious of phishing attempts, as cybercriminals frequently exploit such chaos to target victims. Given the university’s collaboration with ASML, a major global semiconductor manufacturer, the cyberattack could provide valuable data for malicious actors.
With nearly 13,000 students and a workforce of 4,000, TU/e’s ability to recover quickly from this attack will be crucial in minimizing both operational disruptions and potential security risks.
