The southern Maastricht University in 2019 was hit by a
large cyberattack in which criminals used ransomware, a type of malicious
software that locks valuable data and can only be accessed once the victim pays
a ransom amount.
"The criminals had encrypted hundreds of Windows
servers and backup systems, preventing 25,000 students and employees from
accessing scientific data, library and mail," the daily De Volkskrant
said.
The hackers demanded EUR 200,000 in Bitcoins.
"After a week the university decide to accede to the
criminal gang's demand," the paper said
"This was partly because personal data was in danger of
being lost and students were unable to take an exam or work on their
theses," it said.
Dutch police traced part of the ransom paid to an account
belonging to a money launderer in Ukraine.
Prosecutors in 2020 seized this man's account, which
contained a number of different cryptocurrencies including part of the ransom
money paid by Maastricht.
"When, now after more than two years, it was finally
possible to get that money to the Netherlands, the value had increased from
40,000 euros to half-a-million euros," the paper said.
Maastricht University will now get the EUR 500,000 back.
"This money will not go to a general fund, but into a
fund to help financially strapped students," Maastricht University ICT
director Michiel Borgers said.
The investigation into the hackers responsible for the
attack on the university is still ongoing, De Volkskrant added.