Thousands of compromised credentials stolen from US college and university networks are circulating on Russian and other online criminal forums, according to the FBI, and could lead to breaches that install ransomware or steal data.
“The FBI is notifying academic partners of recognized US college and university credentials posted for sale on online criminal marketplaces and publicly accessible forums,” according to the FBI. “This disclosure of critical credential and network access information, particularly privileged user accounts, might result in further cyber attacks on individual users or linked companies,” says the report.
On underground and communal prison markets, network credentials and virtual personal network (VPN) connections for schools and universities based in the United States are still for sale.
Ohlone College, Savannah State University, University of Detroit Mercy, Centralia College, Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas, National University College, North Carolina A&T University, Florida International University, Stratford University are just a few of the schools attacked with ransomware this year.
“This public disclosure of sensitive credential and network access information and facts, particularly privileged user accounts, might lead to further cyber attacks against specific customers or related organizations,” the FBI said in a statement released last week.
