Australian Education Ransomware Attack, 19 July 2023

Australian Academy of Vocational Education and Trades trading as Academia, has been hit by the Windows ransomware group known as Lockbit 3.0

The attackers have given the organisation a deadline of 24 July to get in touch and presumably negotiate a ransom payment

Company Statement: DATA BREACH NOTICE
Source: Australian vocational and trades education centre hit by Lockbit | iTWire

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Academia offers courses in English, hospitality management, childcare, aged care, commercial cookery, patisserie and hairdressing and beauty therapy. The organisation has two campuses, in Melbourne and Brisbane.

The attackers have given the organisation a deadline of 24 July to get in touch and presumably negotiate a ransom payment. The group has provided a list of files that it claims to have stolen on a separate page of its site on the dark web.

Academia appears to be aware of the attack. In a statement posted on its website on Saturday it said: “Academia Institute has experienced a data breach with denial of services late Tuesday 11th to early Wednesday morning 12th of July. “We will keep everyone notified as soon as we determine the extent of the data breach. Academia Management apologises for the disruption and any distress this may have caused.”