Maastricht University gets ransom for hack back with hefty profit

NOS News†today, 03:17

Maastricht University will be refunded the ransom that was paid after a hack in 2019. This is reported by the Volkskrant. The police and the Public Prosecution Service found part of that ransom and seized other cryptocurrencies. Those crypto coins have increased in value in recent years, giving the university 500,000 euros while it paid 200,000 euros in bitcoins at the time.

At the end of 2019, the university was completely paralyzed by the cyber attack. Criminals had locked down hundreds of servers and backup systems. The approximately 25,000 students and employees could no longer access their scientific data, library and e-mails.

The cyber team of the police in Limburg tracked down part of the ransom. Of the 30 bitcoins, 4.54 bitcoins led to the account of a Ukrainian money launderer. On that account were other crypto coins with a value of 40,000 euros at the time. The police seized the coins in 2020.

Last year, the police and the Public Prosecution Service managed to get the money to the Netherlands. In that period, the value of the coins rose to half a million euros. The university will receive the full amount and, according to de Volkskrant, already has a destination for it.

“The money will not go to general funds, but to a fund for ailing students,” says Michiel Borgers, ICT director of the university.