A Dutch university that fell victim to an enormous ransomware attack has now recovered partially the stolen money...in the meantime it got more than doubled in actual value, as per the news report of Saturday.

HIGHLIGHTS
Maastricht University was under a cyberattack in 2019
Hackers demanded EUR 200,000 in Bitcoins
The ransom money was returned back but after two years it got more than doubled.

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The southern Maastricht University in 2019 was hit by a huge cyberattack during which criminals had used ransomware, a kind of malicious software that actually locks valuable information and may solely be accessed once the victim pays a ransom amount for it.

'The criminals had encrypted hundreds of Windows servers and backup systems, preventing 25,000 students and employees from getting access to the scientific information, library and mail,' the daily De Volkskrant stated.

The hackers have demanded around EUR 200,000 (roughly Rs.1.6 crores) in Bitcoins.

According to the same paper, “Almost after one week the university decides to accede to the criminal gang's demand.”

It even mentioned that this was partly because the personal information was in danger of being lost and students would unable to take an exam or even work on their theses, if something like this would happen.

Dutch police had traced a part of the ransom which was paid to an account that actually belonged to a money launderer in Ukraine.

Prosecutors in 2020 have taken over or seized this man's account that contained variety of various cryptocurrencies as well as a part of the ransom money paid by Maastricht.

'When, currently after more than 2 years, it was possible to induce that money to the Netherlands finally, well, the worth of that money had increased from 40,000 euros to half-a-million euros,' the paper said.

Currently, Maastricht University will be getting around EUR 500,000 (roughly Rs. 4.1 crores) back.

Michiel Borgers, the Maastricht University ICT director has said 'This money will not move to a general fund, however, it will go into a fund that would help financially strapped students.”

The investigation into the hackers who were responsible for the attack on the university is till ongoing, De Volkskranthas added.

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