"Illinois College, Hit by Ransomware Attack, to Shut Down"

Lincoln College, located in Illinois, is scheduled to close its doors Friday, becoming the first U.S. institution of higher learning to shut down in part due to a ransomware attack.  A goodbye note posted to the school's website noted that it could not handle the combination of the Covid pandemic and a severe ransomware attack in December that took months to remedy.  Lincoln College was a victim of a cyberattack in December 2021 that thwarted admissions activities and hindered access to all institutional data, creating an unclear picture of Fall 2022 enrollment projections.  All systems required for recruitment, retention, and fundraising efforts were inoperable.  Luckily during the cyberattack, no personal identifying information was exposed.  Once all the systems were fully restored in March 2022, the projections displayed significant enrollment shortfalls, requiring a transformational donation or partnership to sustain Lincoln College beyond the current semester.

NBC News reports: "Illinois College, Hit by Ransomware Attack, to Shut Down"