Inside the TU/e Cyberattack in January 2025: Crisis, Response, and Resilience

In January 2025, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in the Netherlands faced a significant cybersecurity breach that tested the resilience of its systems, people, and processes. This talk provides an in-depth analysis of the attack, how the university responded, and what was learned in the aftermath.

Focusing on both the technical and human dimensions, the session covers both strategic-level crisis management and also the tactical-operational incident response, forensic investigation, and recovery activities. It highlights how TU/e was able to prioritize continuity of education, managing uncertainty and complexity under pressure, and achieving a remarkable resumption of core academic activities within just one week. This rapid recovery was made possible by decisive leadership, the dedication of TU/e’s internal teams, and close collaboration with Fox-IT's cybersecurity experts. Attendees will gain insights into effective crisis leadership, organizational preparedness, and the importance of clear communication and trust during incidents.

In January 2025, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in the Netherlands faced a significant cybersecurity breach that tested the resilience of its systems, people, and processes. This talk provides an in-depth analysis of the attack, how the university responded, and what was learned in the aftermath.

Focusing on both the technical and human dimensions, the session covers both strategic-level crisis management and also the tactical-operational incident response, forensic investigation, and recovery activities. It highlights how TU/e was able to prioritize continuity of education, managing uncertainty and complexity under pressure, and achieving a remarkable resumption of core academic activities within just one week. This rapid recovery was made possible by decisive leadership, the dedication of TU/e’s internal teams, and close collaboration with Fox-IT's cybersecurity experts. Attendees will gain insights into effective crisis leadership, organizational preparedness, and the importance of clear communication and trust during incidents.

Michiel van Grootel
Product Owner of the Compute & Storage Services (CSS) team at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)