The institution said it has moved quickly to implement protective measures.
Wits University on Friday confirmed that it had been the victim of a cyberattack.
It is part of a larger attack on the Oracle E-Business system that is affecting organisations across multiple countries.
The cyberattack represents what security experts call a “zero-day” event, defined as an assault that “exploits a software vulnerability that is unknown to the software vendor and has no patch.”
“It means that the software developer has zero days to solve the problem before the attack occurs,” the university explained.
Despite the breach, “operations continue as normal,” according to the university.
The institution said it has moved quickly to implement protective measures, with ICT having “already implemented all the latest critical patch updates released by Oracle.”
Coordinated response underway
Wits’ Chief Information Officer is coordinating with internal teams, Oracle representatives, and independent cybersecurity experts to determine the full scope of the compromise.
“The University has notified the Information Regulator of this incident and we are doing all that we can to assess the potential risk to members of our community,” the university stated.
It said further details about affected data and systems are expected as the investigation progresses.
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Student caution urged
The timing of the cyber attack has raised particular concern, coming just hours after the university issued a separate warning to students about financial fraud.
The Student Finance office alerted the campus community on Thursday to an active scam operating through WhatsApp and SMS.
In the fraud alert, students were warned that “individuals who are falsely claiming to represent a company that can assist students with settling their outstanding fees or debts” are circulating through messaging platforms.
“These scammers allege that by paying 30% of your outstanding balance upfront, they will pay off the remainder of your debt on your behalf.
“Please note that this is a scam. Do not share your personal information or make any payments to such individuals,” the university’s student finance office cautioned.
The university directed students to address all financial matters exclusively through official channels, stating that “all queries related to outstanding fees or financial arrangements must be directed only to the University’s Student Fees Office through official communication channels.”
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What comes next
The university indicated that additional updates will follow as the investigation expands.
Affected individuals and staff members are advised to monitor official communications for developments.
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