UWS targeted by Russian cyber gang amid time of financial scarcity for Scottish universities

The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) is grappling with a significant financial deficit following a cyber-attack by the Russian hacking group Rhysida, which resulted in the theft of over one million personal documents.

The attack, which occurred in July 2023, led to the publication of 363GB of sensitive data, including health records, digital ID cards, and financial details, after the university failed to meet the hackers’ 20 (£450,000) bitcoin ransom demand. Rhysida, known for posing as a cybersecurity team to exploit system vulnerabilities, has targeted organisations worldwide with similar tactics.

In its latest financial report, UWS revealed a £14.4 million deficit for the financial year ending in April 2024, marking a stark contrast to the £2.5 million surplus reported in 2022/23. The university attributed a significant portion of the losses to recovery efforts from the cyber-attack, alongside declining income from international student enrolment.

International enrolments dropped from 22,088 to 20,514 in the past year, reflecting a wider trend across UK universities. The decline has been exacerbated by stricter visa restrictions imposed by the Conservative government, aimed at reducing legal migration.

Despite a £2.1 million increase in overall income, the cyber-attack and associated recovery costs are estimated to have drained £18.3 million from UWS.

A UWS spokesperson said: “In common with the rest of the higher education sector across the UK, the university is operating in a very challenging financial environment exacerbated by external factors that have driven a significant change in the size and shape of our student population, as well as costs associated with the recovery from the criminal cyber-attack in July 2023.

“Our university court approved a multi-year recovery plan in April 2024 that included several actions, some of which have, thus far, had the desired impact.”

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UWS’s financial difficulties are emblematic of broader challenges facing UK universities, with many institutions reporting declining international student numbers amidst rising operational costs and reduced government funding.

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