Osaka Metropolitan University hit by ransomware attack

Osaka Metropolitan University has confirmed that a large-scale system failure occurring on October 2, 2026, was the result of a ransomware attack. The cyberattack targeted the university’s virtualization infrastructure, causing widespread disruption to essential services across all campuses.

The outage has impacted the campus network, email systems, official websites, library services, and administrative systems including human resources, payroll, and financial accounting. As a result, the university suspended all classes until October 8, with in-person instruction scheduled to resume on October 9. While the university’s medical hospital and veterinary clinical center reported that their electronic medical record systems remained unaffected, other academic and administrative processes, such as course registration and entrance examination applications, faced significant delays and extensions.

Reports indicate that the data of approximately 130,000 current and former students and faculty members may be at risk of unauthorized exposure. While the university has not yet confirmed a definitive leak of personal information, it is working with external specialists to investigate the extent of the damage. The institution has notified the Personal Information Protection Commission and established a crisis management headquarters to oversee the recovery and investigation.