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Cyber Threat
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Ransomware victim Education

National Institute of Materials Physics

Listed by Nova on · organisation based in Romania

icsi.ro

Disclosed
Nov 23, 2025
Leak-site listing date
Threat group
Nova
194 victims listed
Country
Romania
#44 most targeted
Sector
Education

ThreatAI analysis

Compiled from this incident record and the threat intelligence profile for Nova. Figures and technique mappings are quoted from the source data, not inferred.

About the Nova group

Nova (formerly RALord) is a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) group that encrypts victims’files and uses double-extortion tactics to pressure organizations into paying for decryption and data non-disclosure. Nova has listed 178 victims since March 2025.

Incident analysis

National Institute of Materials Physics was listed by Nova ransomware, a group with 194 victims recorded in this database. The listing appeared on the group's leak site on November 23, 2025.

National Institute of Materials Physics is based in Romania and operates in the Education sector. Romania ranks #44 worldwide for ransomware disclosures, with 62 victims in this database.

Sector context. Educational institutions often have under-resourced IT security teams and hold large amounts of student and faculty personal data, making them attractive targets for ransomware groups.

Nova typically follows a double extortion model: data is exfiltrated from the victim's systems before files are encrypted, so the victim faces two demands at once — pay to restore access, and pay to keep stolen data unpublished. The leak site, where this listing appeared, is the lever for the second demand.

Source. Public leak-site disclosures aggregated via the ransomware.live API. The disclosure date is when the listing was published, which can differ from the date of compromise. This site does not publish or link to stolen data. Last updated .

Frequently asked questions

Was National Institute of Materials Physics attacked by ransomware?

Yes. National Institute of Materials Physics was listed as a victim of the Nova ransomware group on November 23, 2025. The organisation is based in Romania and operates in the Education sector. The disclosure appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Which ransomware group attacked National Institute of Materials Physics?

National Institute of Materials Physics was attacked by Nova ransomware. Nova is one of the most active ransomware groups, having claimed 194 victims globally. The group typically employs a double-extortion model: encrypting the victim's files and threatening to publish stolen data.

When did the National Institute of Materials Physics ransomware attack occur?

The ransomware attack on National Institute of Materials Physics was disclosed on November 23, 2025. This date reflects when the victim was published on the threat group's leak site, which may differ from the actual date of initial compromise.

What data was stolen in the National Institute of Materials Physics ransomware attack?

The specific data stolen from National Institute of Materials Physics has not been independently verified by this platform. Ransomware groups typically exfiltrate data before encrypting systems and use the threat of publication to pressure victims. As a Education organisation, National Institute of Materials Physics likely held student and faculty personal data and academic records.

How can organisations protect against Nova attacks?

To defend against Nova and similar threat actors, organisations should: maintain regular offline backups tested for restoration; implement network segmentation to limit lateral movement; deploy multi-factor authentication on all remote access; use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools; conduct regular phishing and security awareness training; and monitor threat intelligence feeds for indicators of compromise (IOCs) associated with active groups.