University of Giessen offline for security reasons
Charges being pressed for suspected cyber attack
After a serious IT security problem, Justus Liebig University Giessen has shut down its servers for security reasons. The university has been offline since Sunday afternoon; internet, email systems and internal networks are not in use. JLU is pressing charges on suspicion of a cyber attack. Currently, it is not possible to state the exact cause of the IT problems, also on account of the ongoing inquiry.
JLU has set up a crisis management committee headed by the president and will continually provide information about which components may be reactivated. The crisis management committee is in constant contact with the authorities in Hesse, the Hessen State Ministry of the Interior and the Hessen State Ministry for Higher Education, Research and the Arts. Currently it is not possible to gauge how long the servers will be out of action. External IT experts, including the Research Centre for Cyber Security, Athene, in Darmstadt, are assisting JLU in establishing the extent of the damage in the next few days.
On the afternoon of 9 December 2019, a temporary substitute website under www.uni-giessen.de will be released with updates on the situation. Users may call the hotline at 0641 99-10500 from 7:30 am to 6 pm.
The computer workplaces particularly in the administration network are not available at the moment. JLU will decide internally which members of staff will take over which duties in the current situation. Teaching and research will continue according to schedule.
