Rome, Italy – One of Europe’s most prestigious and populous universities, Sapienza University of Rome, has been forced to take its entire digital infrastructure offline after falling victim to a significant cyberattack earlier this week.
The incident, which reportedly began on February 2, 2026, disrupted almost all academic and administrative IT systems across the university, leaving its official website, student portals, email, and internal networks inaccessible.
Systems Shut Down as Precaution
In an official notice posted on social media, the university confirmed that its IT systems had been compromised by an unspecified cyber intrusion. To protect the integrity of sensitive data and prevent further spread of malicious code, officials ordered a full shutdown of the campus network and digital services.
As a result, millions of students and faculty members are currently unable to access essential services such as online class platforms, exam booking systems, email accounts, and other administrative tools. The university has established temporary information points to help students navigate the outage.
Ransomware Suspected, Hackers Remain Unidentified
Although Sapienza’s leadership has been cautious about publicly attributing the attack to a specific cause, multiple Italian news sources and cybersecurity observers are reporting that a ransomware group known as “Femwar02” may be responsible. This pro-Russian threat actor is believed to use malware with features similar to known ransomware families like Bablock and Rorschach.
According to these reports, the attackers may have sent the university a ransom demand with a countdown timer, though officials have not opened it to avoid triggering the deadline.
At the moment, Italian authorities – including the Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale (ACN) and the Police’s cybercrime division – are assisting in the investigation and recovery efforts.
Restoration Efforts Underway
University administrators are working with cybersecurity specialists to restore systems from backups that were reportedly unaffected by the attack. Early indications suggest that proper segmentation of backup systems may help accelerate recovery, meaning critical data could be restored without paying a ransom.
Despite these efforts, officials have not yet provided a timeline for fully restoring services, and many students remain unable to complete routine academic tasks. The university’s public website also continues to be offline.
Broader Implications for Educational Institutions
Cybersecurity experts emphasize that universities and research institutions are increasingly targeted by sophisticated cybercriminals due to their large user bases, valuable research data, and often decentralized IT environments. This incident at Sapienza underscores the importance of robust security measures, regular backups, and rapid incident response planning for all educational organizations.
