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Ransomware Victim Education

The University of Delhi (DU)

Ransomware attack by Dysphor1a · Disclosed August 20, 2026 · 🇮🇳 India

du.ac.in

Date Disclosed
Aug 20, 2026
2026
Threat Group
Dysphor1a
11 total victims
Country
🇮🇳 India
Industry
Education

ThreatAI Analysis

Compiled from this incident record and the threat intelligence profile for Dysphor1a. Figures and technique mappings are quoted from the source data, not inferred.

About The University of Delhi (DU)

The University of Delhi (DU) is a major public university in New Delhi, India, founded in 1922. It is one of India's most well-known universities, offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs across subjects like science, arts, commerce, law, and technology.

Source record: ransomware.live

About the Dysphor1a group

Dysphor1a has listed 5 victims since August 2026.

Incident Analysis

The University of Delhi (DU) was targeted by Dysphor1a ransomware, one of the most active ransomware groups in our database with 11 confirmed victims globally. The attack was disclosed on August 20, 2026, when The University of Delhi (DU) appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

The University of Delhi (DU) is based in India , operating in the Education sector. India ranks #7 globally for ransomware attacks, with 456 victims in our 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.

Dysphor1a typically employs a double extortion model: first exfiltrating sensitive data from the victim's systems, then deploying ransomware to encrypt files. Victims face two simultaneous threats — paying to restore access and paying to prevent publication of stolen data. The group's leak site publishes victim names and exfiltrated data as leverage.

Data source: This incident record is sourced from public ransomware group leak site disclosures aggregated via the ransomware.live API. Disclosure date reflects when the victim was published on the leak site, which may differ from the initial date of compromise. This platform does not publish or link to stolen data. Last data update: Sep 13, 2026 14:00 UTC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was The University of Delhi (DU) attacked by ransomware?

Yes. The University of Delhi (DU) was listed as a victim of the Dysphor1a ransomware group on August 20, 2026. The organisation is based in India and operates in the Education sector. The disclosure appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Which ransomware group attacked The University of Delhi (DU)?

The University of Delhi (DU) was attacked by Dysphor1a ransomware. Dysphor1a is one of the most active ransomware groups, having claimed 11 victims globally. The group typically employs a double-extortion model: encrypting the victim's files and threatening to publish stolen data.

When did the The University of Delhi (DU) ransomware attack occur?

The ransomware attack on The University of Delhi (DU) was disclosed on August 20, 2026. 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 The University of Delhi (DU) ransomware attack?

The specific data stolen from The University of Delhi (DU) 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, The University of Delhi (DU) likely held student and faculty personal data and academic records.

How can organisations protect against Dysphor1a attacks?

To defend against Dysphor1a 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.