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Cyber Threat
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Ransomware victim Education

Texas Tech University

Listed by Meow on · organisation based in United States

ttu.edu

Disclosed
Jul 26, 2024
Leak-site listing date
Threat group
Meow
130 victims listed
Country
United States
#1 most targeted
Sector
Education

ThreatAI analysis

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

About the Meow group

Meow emerged in 2022 (resurfacing aggressively in 2024), initially operating as a RaaS using the Conti v2 codebase before transitioning to a data-extortion-only model — selling stolen data rather than encrypting files — with a heavy focus on US healthcare and medical research organizations. Meow has listed 145 victims since September 2023.

Incident analysis

Texas Tech University was listed by Meow ransomware, a group with 130 victims recorded in this database. The listing appeared on the group's leak site on July 26, 2024.

Texas Tech University is based in United States and operates in the Education sector. United States ranks #1 worldwide for ransomware disclosures, with 10,166 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.

Meow 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files are encrypted, so the victim faces two demands at once — pay to restore access, and pay to keep stolen data unpublished.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 Texas Tech University attacked by ransomware?

Yes. Texas Tech University was listed as a victim of the Meow ransomware group on July 26, 2024. The organisation is based in United States and operates in the Education sector. The disclosure appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Which ransomware group attacked Texas Tech University?

Texas Tech University was attacked by Meow ransomware. Meow is one of the most active ransomware groups, having claimed 130 victims globally. The group typically employs a double-extortion model: encrypting the victim's files and threatening to publish stolen data.

When did the Texas Tech University ransomware attack occur?

The ransomware attack on Texas Tech University was disclosed on July 26, 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 Texas Tech University ransomware attack?

The specific data stolen from Texas Tech University 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, Texas Tech University likely held student and faculty personal data and academic records.

How can organisations protect against Meow attacks?

To defend against Meow 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.