Cybersecurity incident impacting IT services at Grenfell Campus

The university released a statement concerning the incident on New Year's Eve.

The Grenfell Campus of Memorial University says a cyberattack has taken IT services offline at its Corner Brook campus.

An issue with IT services first came to light on December 29, 2023, when security protocols were put in place to isolate systems impacted by a "cybersecurity incident." In a statement released Sunday, the university says an investigation was launched following the discovery, and that the incident has been reported to law enforcement.

Meanwhile, IT services at the Marine Institute have been temporarily shut down as a precaution. There is no indication at this stage that IT services or data on other campuses are impacted at this time.

Memorial University says it is committed to protecting the information of its students, faculty and staff to the fullest extent possible. They say they are actively working with cybersecurity experts to conduct a forensic investigation to determine the cause and scope of the issue, which is in its early stages and will likely take some time to complete, according to their statement. Individuals whose information may have been affected by this incident will be contacted directly.

Memorial's Emergency Operations Centre has also been activated, and a team of pan-university experts are working together to mitigate impacts on academic, research and administrative activities.

More information about any changes that impact faculty, staff or students at Grenfell Campus will be shared in advance of the start of the winter 2024 semester.