Students at a Sydney-based university have experienced significant disruption due to two cybersecurity incidents, resulting in personal data being compromised and appearing on the dark web. The breaches, which occurred between January and February 2025, affected around 10,000 current and former students from Western Sydney University.
The compromised information includes critical details such as enrolment status, academic progress, and demographic data. The university plans to reach out to all individuals whose information was accessed without permission in the coming week.
The breaches were reportedly facilitated through the university’s single sign-on system, which allowed unauthorised access to sensitive student information. Following the detection of the security threat, the university’s cybersecurity teams—both internal and external—swiftly moved to eliminate the intruder’s access.
Moreover, the university discovered that student information had been shared on a dark web forum, with a specific post appearing on November 1, 2024. This post contained personal details of the university community, mirroring the kinds of data described in earlier cybersecurity alerts issued by the institution.
Professor George Williams AO, Vice-Chancellor and President of Western Sydney University, publicly expressed his regret over the security breaches. He acknowledged the ongoing, targeted attacks on the university’s network and recognised the distress these incidents cause within the university’s community, including students and staff.
“The University is acutely aware of the effects such incidents have on our community,” he remarked. “I apologise on behalf of the institution. We are making every effort to enhance our digital security.”
An investigation is currently underway, and the matter has been referred to New South Wales Police for further action. The university is committed to improving its cyber protection measures to prevent future breaches.