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Cyber Threat
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Ransomware victim Education

qatar.vcu.edu

Listed by Dispossessor on · organisation based in Qatar

qatar.vcu.edu

Disclosed
Jul 29, 2024
Leak-site listing date
Threat group
Dispossessor
344 victims listed
Country
Qatar
#71 most targeted
Sector
Education

ThreatAI analysis

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

About the Dispossessor group

This is not a ransomware group but a data broker Dispossessor has listed 344 victims since February 2020.

Incident analysis

qatar.vcu.edu was listed by Dispossessor ransomware, a group with 344 victims recorded in this database. The listing appeared on the group's leak site on July 29, 2024.

qatar.vcu.edu is based in Qatar and operates in the Education sector. Qatar ranks #71 worldwide for ransomware disclosures, with 18 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.

Dispossessor 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files are encrypted, so the victim faces two demands at once — pay to restore access, and pay to keep stolen data unpublished.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 qatar.vcu.edu attacked by ransomware?

Yes. qatar.vcu.edu was listed as a victim of the Dispossessor ransomware group on July 29, 2024. The organisation is based in Qatar and operates in the Education sector. The disclosure appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Which ransomware group attacked qatar.vcu.edu?

qatar.vcu.edu was attacked by Dispossessor ransomware. Dispossessor is one of the most active ransomware groups, having claimed 344 victims globally. The group typically employs a double-extortion model: encrypting the victim's files and threatening to publish stolen data.

When did the qatar.vcu.edu ransomware attack occur?

The ransomware attack on qatar.vcu.edu was disclosed on July 29, 2024. 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 qatar.vcu.edu ransomware attack?

The specific data stolen from qatar.vcu.edu 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, qatar.vcu.edu likely held student and faculty personal data and academic records.

How can organisations protect against Dispossessor attacks?

To defend against Dispossessor 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.