"A lack of communication between Michigan State University’s physics and astronomy department and the school’s central IT operation contributed to a 2020 ransomware attack that cost the university more than $1 million to recover from, according to recent research by a National Science Foundation-supported group."—Source: EdScoop
WHY THIS MATTERS:
Michigan State University's IT operations were centralized years ago, but a department that wanted to maintain its own systems was hit with a ransomware attack that ended up costing the institution over $1 million. "Researchers need to know that your information security team and your CISO and the like have a broader problem because they are dealing with a larger scale of security threats than you see," notes MSU's Chief Information Officer Tom Siu, who was hired after the attack.
