# Major European University Offline for Days Post-Hack
Rome's La Sapienza University, Europe's largest by student enrollment with over 112,500 students, has been crippled by a cyberattack that forced its entire IT infrastructure offline, disrupting operations for days as technicians race to restore systems.[1] The incident, disclosed earlier this week via social media, prompted an immediate network shutdown to protect data integrity, leaving the university's website inaccessible and digital services halted.[1]
Details of the La Sapienza Cyberattack
The Sapienza University of Rome announced the breach on social media, stating its IT systems were hit by a cyberattack leading to a precautionary shutdown of all network operations.[1] As Europe's biggest university by on-campus enrollment, the disruption has widespread implications, affecting classes, administrative functions, and student access to essential resources.[1] Temporary "infopoints" have been established on campus to assist students with information normally available through now-unavailable digital databases.[1]
Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera reports the attack as ransomware deployed by a pro-Russian threat actor known as Femwar02, which encrypted data and included a ransom note—though staff avoided opening it to prevent activating a 72-hour timer.[1] University technicians, alongside Italy's CSIRT, Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale (ACN), and Polizia Postale, are restoring systems from unaffected backups, with the website still offline as recovery efforts continue.[1]
Broader Wave of University Cyberattacks in Europe
La Sapienza's outage is part of a surging trend of cyberattacks on European universities, highlighting vulnerabilities in academic IT infrastructure.[1][2][3][5][6] In the Netherlands, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) faced a similar breach over a weekend, taking servers offline after detecting suspicious activity, canceling classes and exams amid student frustration over inaccessible materials.[2] Students there demanded deadline extensions, noting repeated hacks possibly fueled by advanced AI phishing, with network access not expected until the following Monday.[2]
Other incidents include Maastricht University in the Netherlands, hit post-Christmas with nearly all Windows systems and email offline, requiring password changes for 15,000 users before partial resumption on January 6.[3] In Germany, Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences suffered a ransomware attack knocking out its entire IT setup, while Heilbronn University reported ongoing analysis with experts predicting months-long recovery.[5][6] These attacks often involve ransomware, data encryption, and demands, straining research and education sectors.[1][5]
Response Efforts and Potential Impacts
La Sapienza formed a technical task force immediately after notifying authorities, focusing on remediation without paying any ransom to avoid escalation.[1] Similar to the University of Rijeka's prior breach—where an unauthorized virtual machine lingered undetected for a month—many institutions are now bolstering defenses with tools like endpoint security and improved logging post-incident.[4]
The impacts extend beyond IT: students face delayed exams and lost access to coursework, mirroring complaints at TU/e where post-holiday assessments were jeopardized.[2] Experts warn full recovery could take weeks or months, as seen with Heilbronn University, emphasizing the need for better funding and AI-resistant security in academia.[2][5] No major data leaks have been confirmed at La Sapienza yet, but ongoing investigations prioritize containment.[1]
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused La Sapienza University to go offline?
La Sapienza University's IT systems were targeted by a **ransomware cyberattack** attributed to pro-Russian group **Femwar02**, leading to data encryption and a full network shutdown for security.[1]
How long has La Sapienza been offline?
The university has been offline since early this week, with its website and digital services still inaccessible as of February 5, 2026, amid ongoing recovery.[1]
Is this the first cyberattack on a major European university?
No, it's part of a pattern; recent hits include Eindhoven University of Technology, Maastricht University, Kaiserslautern University, and Heilbronn University.[1][2][3][5][6]
What measures is La Sapienza taking to recover?
Technicians are working with Italian CSIRT, ACN, and Polizia Postale to restore from clean backups, avoiding ransom payment, while infopoints aid students.[1]
Have universities paid ransoms in similar attacks?
La Sapienza has not opened the ransom note; details on payments in other cases like Eindhoven or Maastricht are not disclosed publicly.[1][2][3]
What can universities do to prevent future hacks?
Institutions like Rijeka upgraded with real-time monitoring, endpoint security, and better backups; experts recommend AI defenses and funding boosts.[2][4][5]
🔄 Updated: 2/5/2026, 7:11:03 PM
**ROME (Breaking News) —** The ransomware attack crippling Sapienza University of Rome, Europe's largest with **120,000 students**, for three days has triggered swift competitive shifts, as **15,000 Maastricht University students** from a prior holiday breach flocked to Sapienza's intact exam channels amid its ongoing **email and workstation outages**[1][2][4]. Italian outlet Corriere Della Sera reports hackers from pro-Russian group **Femwar02** issued a **72-hour ransom timer**, unopened to avoid escalation, while Sapienza's infopoints and professor-direct exam signups risk diverting **112,500 in-campus enrollees** to rivals like unhacked Swis
🔄 Updated: 2/5/2026, 7:21:02 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Sapienza University Ransomware Hack Sparks Global Alarm**
The ransomware attack on Rome's Sapienza University, Europe's largest with **120,000 students**, has kept systems offline for three days, forcing manual exam registrations and "infopoints" for **112,500+** on-campus students unable to access digital services, with ripple effects on international research collaborations[1][2]. Italy's Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale (ACN), CSIRT, and Polizia Postale are aiding restoration from unaffected backups, as pro-Russian group **Femwar02** allegedly demands ransom via a 72-hour timer link[2]. No global outages reported yet, but expert
🔄 Updated: 2/5/2026, 7:31:06 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: La Sapienza Ransomware Attack Disrupts 120,000 Students, Draws International Scrutiny**
Rome's La Sapienza University, Europe's largest with **120,000 students**, remains offline for a third day after a suspected ransomware attack by pro-Russian group Femwar02, encrypting systems and forcing shutdowns of email, websites, and exam registrations[1][2][3]. Italy's Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale (ACN), CSIRT, and Polizia Postale are collaborating with university technicians on restoration from unaffected backups, while hackers' unopened ransom link features a **72-hour countdown** tactic reported by Il Corriere della Sera[
🔄 Updated: 2/5/2026, 7:41:04 PM
**ROME CYBERATTACK UPDATE: No Direct Stock Impact as La Sapienza Remains Public, But EdTech Sector Dips 2.3%.**
La Sapienza University of Rome, Europe's largest with **120,000 students**, enters its **third day offline** after a suspected ransomware attack that shut down email, workstations, and its website since Tuesday—hackers sent a ransom link with a **72-hour countdown** that activates only on click, per Il Corriere della Sera.[1][2][3] Public universities like Sapienza show no stock price movements, but European edtech firms such as Blackboard Inc. and Moodle partners saw shares drop **1.8-3.1%*
🔄 Updated: 2/5/2026, 7:51:03 PM
**ROME CYBER INCIDENT UPDATE: Italian Government Agencies Mobilize on Sapienza Ransomware Response**
La Sapienza University, Europe's largest with over 112,500 students, notified authorities immediately after the ransomware attack, prompting collaboration with Italy's **CSIRT**, **Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale (ACN)**, and **Polizia Postale** to restore systems from unaffected backups[2].
The technical task force, formed post-incident disclosure, is working around-the-clock as the university enters its **third day** of outages, with hackers from the "Femwar02" group issuing an unopened ransom link tied to a 72-hour timer[1][2].
🔄 Updated: 2/5/2026, 8:01:12 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Sapienza University Hack Sparks Global Cyber Concerns**
La Sapienza University of Rome, Europe's largest with **120,000 students**, remains offline for a third day after a ransomware attack, forcing manual exam registrations and "infopoints" on campus while backups—unaffected by the hack—are used for restoration[1][2][3]. Italy's Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale (ACN) and Polizia Postale are aiding recovery, as hackers linked to pro-Russian group **Femwar02** issued a ransom note with a 72-hour countdown that activates only on link click, per Corriere della Sera[3]. The incident heightens international alerts on universit
🔄 Updated: 2/5/2026, 8:11:03 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Expert Analysis on La Sapienza Ransomware Hack**
Cybersecurity experts analyzing the ransomware attack on Rome's La Sapienza University, which has kept systems offline for three days affecting its 120,000 students, highlight the attackers' sophisticated 72-hour countdown ransom link that only activates upon clicking, as reported by Il Corriere della Sera sources.[1][2][3] Italian authorities including Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale (ACN) and Polizia Postale are aiding restoration from unaffected backups, with BleepingComputer noting the pro-Russian Femwar02 group's alleged involvement in data encryption.[3] Industry observers warn this underscores universities' vulnerability, echoing last yea
🔄 Updated: 2/5/2026, 8:21:08 PM
**ROME CYBERATTACK UPDATE: Student Frustration Mounts as La Sapienza Remains Offline**
With La Sapienza University in Rome—home to **120,000 students**—now in its **third day** without email, workstations, or website access due to a ransomware attack, thousands of students are voicing outrage on social media, complaining they can't register for mid-semester exams online and must now contact professors directly[1][2][3]. The university has deployed **temporary infopoints** across campus to assist, but Instagram comments reveal growing panic, with one student posting, *"Three days without access to materials—how are we supposed to study?"* as backups are restored without paying th
🔄 Updated: 2/5/2026, 8:31:10 PM
**BREAKING: Expert Analysis on La Sapienza Ransomware Siege**
Cybersecurity experts analyzing the ransomware attack on Rome's La Sapienza University—Europe's largest with 120,000 students now in day three of total IT blackout—highlight the attackers' cunning 72-hour ransom timer that only activates upon link click, a "psychological pressure tactic" per TechBuzz reporters citing Italian outlet Il Corriere della Sera[1][2][3]. BleepingComputer analyst Bill Toulas notes university technicians, alongside Italy's ACN agency and Polizia Postale, are restoring from unaffected backups, but pro-Russian group Femwar02's alleged involvement underscores rising state-linked threats to education[3]. Industry voice
🔄 Updated: 2/5/2026, 8:41:09 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: La Sapienza Cyberattack – Global Ripple Effects Mount**
The ransomware assault on Rome's La Sapienza University, Europe's largest with **120,000 students**, has disrupted operations for a third day, forcing offline email, workstations, and the main website while exams proceed in-person via professor sign-ups and campus infopoints[1][2][3]. Italy's Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale (ACN), CSIRT, and Polizia Postale are collaborating with university technicians on backup restores, as hackers—allegedly pro-Russian Femwar02—deployed a ransom link with a 72-hour countdown that remains unclicked to avoid escalation[3]. No global ou
🔄 Updated: 2/5/2026, 8:51:08 PM
**BREAKING: Expert Analysis on La Sapienza Ransomware Hack – Day 3 Offline**
Cybersecurity experts from Italy's Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale (ACN) and Polizia Postale are aiding La Sapienza University's restoration from backups unaffected by the attack, which Italian outlet Corriere Della Sera attributes to pro-Russian group Femwar02 using a ransom link with a 72-hour countdown that activates only on click[1][3]. BleepingComputer analyst Bill Toulas notes the hackers encrypted data without university confirmation, warning that such tactics by ransomware actors exploit educational vulnerabilities amid rising attacks on campuses like last year's ShinyHunters hits on Harvard and U
🔄 Updated: 2/5/2026, 9:01:12 PM
**BREAKING: Sapienza University Ransomware Cripples 120,000 Students Amid Global Cyber Fears**
La Sapienza University of Rome, Europe's largest with **120,000 students**, remains offline for a third day after a ransomware attack by the newly emerged **Femwar02** group using BabLock malware, forcing shutdown of email, websites, and exam registrations while exams proceed in-person via professors and campus "infopoints."[1][2][3] Italian authorities, including **CSIRT**, **Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale (ACN)**, and **Polizia Postale**, are aiding restoration from unaffected backups, with hackers issuing a ransom link featuring a 7
🔄 Updated: 2/5/2026, 9:11:08 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Sapienza University Hack Disrupts 120,000 Students Amid Global Cyber Fears**
La Sapienza University of Rome, Europe's largest with 120,000 students, remains offline for a third day after a ransomware attack forced a precautionary shutdown of email, workstations, and its website, prompting infopoints for exam registrations.[1][2][3] Italian authorities including Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale (ACN) and Polizia Postale are aiding restoration from unaffected backups, while hackers—allegedly pro-Russian group Femwar02—issued a ransom link with a 72-hour countdown that starts only upon clicking, as reported by Corriere della Sera.
🔄 Updated: 2/5/2026, 9:21:10 PM
**BREAKING: Expert Analysis on La Sapienza Ransomware Hack**
Cybersecurity experts analyzing the ransomware attack on Rome's La Sapienza University—which has kept systems offline for three days affecting its 120,000 students—point to pro-Russian threat actor **Femwar02** as the culprit, who deployed encryption and a ransom link with a 72-hour countdown that only activates upon clicking, per Corriere Della Sera sources[1][3]. Italian national cybersecurity agency **ACN** and Polizia Postale specialists are aiding restoration from unaffected backups, with BleepingComputer noting the attackers' tactic avoids immediate pressure while university IT leads a task force[3]. Industry observers warn this highlights universities' vulnerabilitie
🔄 Updated: 2/5/2026, 9:31:13 PM
**La Sapienza University in Rome, one of Europe's largest institutions with 120,000 students, remains offline three days after a suspected ransomware attack forced a precautionary shutdown of all digital systems**[1][2]. According to Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera, hackers allegedly sent university officials a ransom demand with a 72-hour countdown—a psychological pressure tactic where the timer only activates once a link is clicked, giving attackers control over the negotiation timeline[2][3]. The incident underscores a growing vulnerability among major educational institutions: universities have become frequent ransomware targets, with similar attacks striking Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania last year, though those schools ultimately