Featured image of post 'A tragedy': Closure of 150-year-old college underscores toll of ransomware attacks

'A tragedy': Closure of 150-year-old college underscores toll of ransomware attacks

Lincoln College 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.

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Lincoln College 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.

Highlights

  • Lincoln College 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.
  • The Illinois school is one of only a handful of rural American colleges that qualify as predominantly Black institutions by the Department of Education.
  • Ransomware is a type of cyberattack in which hackers seize control of a victim’s computers and demand payment in order to make them usable again.
  • In severe cases, they can render entire computer networks inoperable, which can have devastating financial consequences for victims who can’t afford to replace them.
  • The college, which announced its closure March 29, held its final commencement Sunday.