17th February 2025
University of The Bahamas Completing Final Phase of Network Restoration
University of The Bahamas will complete the final phase of its network recovery on Monday 17th February 2025 (today) at 2:00 p.m., with the restoration of the Virtual Private Network (VPN), following the ransomware attack on Sunday, 2nd February 2025. This marks the return of full network functionality with heightened security and data protection protocols. VPN is required to access the Banner (administration), CounterPoint and Infosilem apps remotely. We remain on guard for any future suspicious activity and we urge all faculty, staff and students to do the same while taking proactive steps to secure your accounts.
Cyber security remains a top priority, and we are doing all that we can to stay aware and protect our digital environment. The University’s enhanced security measures include:
- Regular Password Resets to further strengthen account security and critical systems, and
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), a widely used security measure, that adds an extra layer of protection to your login credentials.
To assist you with this transition, we have provided detailed information about MFA in the form of responses to Frequently Asked Questions which is attached. Moving forward, we will continue providing additional resources to help you adjust to the enhanced security features and learn more about cybersecurity. Please continue to visit the UB website at www.ub.edu.bs for updates, detailed instructions, and guidelines as you make the most of our secure network services.
Our Technology Services Helpdesk will continue to help faculty, staff and students. If you have any questions or need assistance, please call the helpdesk at 302-4588, 427-5609, or email ithelpdesk@ub.edu.bs.
Thank you for your patience, cooperation and commitment to keeping UB’s online network secure.
12th February 2025
STATEMENT: Network Restoration Update – Continued Progress and Strengthened Security
University of The Bahamas is progressing with the phased restoration of its network following a ransomware attack on Sunday, 2nd February 2025. In this second phase of the process, network access for other University locations and additional enterprise systems will be restored on Wednesday, 12th February (today) at 2:00 p.m. This includes:
- Grosvenor Close Centre,
- Gerace Research Institute,
- Residential Life (dorms)
- Purchasing Department, and
- Computer Labs.
While the University is continuing to work with partners to investigate the incident, it has taken immediate steps to enhance security. One of these is the use of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), a protocol widely used across different services, including banking and others. MFA requires users to identify themselves in two ways: with a password on the device they are using and with a one-time code sent to them on a different device. This extra layer of identification protects users from any unauthorised use of their account by someone else, thereby protecting both the user and the system being used.
Detailed instructions and guidelines to reset passwords and activate MFA are available on the UB website at www.ub.edu.bs and we encourage you to continue using the website for helpful information and periodic updates. Our Office of Technology Services is also providing dedicated support. Should you have any questions or need further assistance, please use the following contacts:
- Technology Services Helpdesk (call 302-4588, 427-5609, or email ithelpdesk@ub.edu.bs),
- Incident Response Helpdesk (call 457-1874, 427-5553, or email ubhelpdesk242@gmail.com)
We sincerely apologise for the disruption caused and thank you for your continued patience and understanding. Our priority remains safeguarding our network, reducing the risk of any similar incidents, and supporting our university community through this transition.
Office of University Relations
University of The Bahamas
2nd Floor, Michael H. Eldon Complex
Oakes Field Campus
P.O. Box N-4912
Nassau, The Bahamas
Tel: (242) 302-4355/4354/4365
University of The Bahamas stands as a proud beacon of national transformation. With an illustrious legacy spanning more than 50 years, the institution has cultivated a rich tapestry of academic diversity, impactful research engagements, and transformative collaborations. UB has in excess of 22,000 alumni, and more than 4,000 students, with locations in New Providence, Grand Bahama and San Salvador. Our students are shaped as not merely scholars, but as dynamic global citizens able to navigate the challenges of a global society.
Office of University Relations
Sunday 9thFebruary 2025
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Network Restoration Update: Stronger, Safer, and Ready to Reconnect
University of The Bahamas is in the process of restoring its network access following a ransomware attack on Sunday 2nd February 2025. As we navigate this crisis we have made the resumption of all learning activities our top priority. From the onset of the incident, we have continued in-person classes, to which there was no disruption.
On Monday 10th February 2025 at 2:00 p.m., online classes will resume as part of the network restoration being implemented in a three-phased approach.
Over the past week, our team of experts has worked tirelessly to restore impacted systems and we are returning them online as part of Phase 1.
Access/Services Resuming in Phase 1
The following systems will be restored as of Monday 10th February:
- Online/Virtual classes and labs,
- UB Email Services and Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, etc.),
- Learning Management System (LMS) including Moodle,
- Online library services and Cengage,
- UB telephone system,
- Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) including Banner, Elevate, and DegreeWorks,
- Point-of-sale (POS) and Payment Services (credit and debit card processing and online transactions),
- Undergraduate Admissions Application portal, and
- UB Website
Steps for Network Reconnection
The University has implemented enhanced online security measures to strengthen our defence and help mitigate future incidents as we continue to investigate the full scope of the impact. In the meantime, we are requiring user password resets for all systems and enforcing multi-factor authentication (MFA) across all critical systems.
In preparation for and during the restoration process, here are important details for faculty, staff and students and steps to help you safely regain access to the UB network:
- Await specific instructions to enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for UB accounts;
- Change passwords for all related UB and social media accounts;
- Enable MFA for all online accounts (social media accounts, email accounts, bank accounts); and
- Report any suspicious activity or security threats immediately to the Technology Services helpdesk at 427-5609, 302-4588 or ithelpdesk@ub.edu.bs.
Again, we sincerely apologise for this situation and the inconvenience it has caused. Rest assured that we are taking all necessary steps to ensure the security and safety of our systems to help prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
Staying Informed of Updates
Please continue to remain alert for regular updates on this matter via UB’s website at www.ub.edu.bs, UB emails, official social media channels, WhatsApp channel, and press statements. Throughout the next few weeks, we will continue to monitor the situation closely to identify any issues that may still affect our stakeholders, including faculty, staff, and students as we execute each phase. Please remember to be safe online and avoid responding to any emails, text/chat messages, or social media communications that you consider suspicious or calls from numbers you do not recognise.
We appreciate your patience, understanding, cooperation, and confidence in UB throughout this process. Should you have any questions or need further assistance, please use the following contacts:
- Technology Services Helpdesk ((427-5609, 302-4588 or 357-7178, or ithelpdesk@ub.edu.bs),
- Incident Response Helpdesk (457-1874, 427-1440, 427-5553, or email ubhelpdesk242@gmail.com)
We are navigating this challenge as a community in accordance with our core values: knowledge, truth and integrity. We are grateful to our colleagues and partners whose deep commitment over the past week has brought us to this new stage, and we are grateful to all members of our community for your support and collaboration as we move forward with renewed strength and enhanced security. Thank you for your commitment to University of The Bahamas.
Janyne Hodder
President (Acting), University of The Bahamas
Office of University Relations
University of The Bahamas
2nd Floor, Michael H. Eldon Complex
University Drive, Oakes Field Campus
P.O. Box N-4912
Nassau, The Bahamas
Tel: (242) 302-4355/4354/4365
Chartered on 10th November 2016, University of The Bahamas (UB) is a beacon for national transformation. UB has campuses and centres on New Providence, Grand Bahama, and San Salvador, as well as UB online education. UB’s diverse academic programmes, research engagements, athletics and leadership development experiences equip our students to become global citizens in a dynamic world. For more information, visit www.ub.edu.bs.