157-year-old Lincoln College, a small school of less than 1,000 students, became the first American college to announce permanent closure due to a ransomware attack on the school.

• Cyber Attack Type: Ransomware
• Affected Institution: Lincoln College, Illinois
• Outcomes:
  • Hindered access to all institutional data, which created an unclear picture of the college’s enrollment projections
  • All systems required for recruitment, retention, and fundraising efforts were inoperable for three months
  • Reports say a ransom demand of less than $100,000 was paid by the college

Already struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, what drove the nail in the coffin for Lincoln College was the unanticipated ransomware attack that “thwarted admissions activities and hindered access to all institutional data,” said the school in an announcement posted to their website.

While Lincoln College confirmed that no personal identifying information was exposed, some reports say that they still paid less than $100,000 of ransom demand.

Lincoln College has survived many difficult and challenging times, such as the Great Depression, World War II, and the 2008 global financial crisis. However, the severity of an unforeseen cyberattack coupled with the struggles of going through a global pandemic proved to be unbearable for the historical school and led to its closure after 157 years in operation.

How to Avoid Falling Victim to Ransomware Attacks:

• Comply with UC cybersecurity standards, starting with completing the UC Cyber Security Awareness Fundamentals training at ucrlearning.ucr.edu
• Create a robust ransomware response strategy with a plan to regain operational status as rapidly as possible
• Invest in a Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solution

UCR Information Technology Solutions provides campus units with best-in-class cybersecurity measures. Schedule a consultation with ITS today at sds@ucr.edu to learn how you can protect your organization from cyberattacks.