DLSU locally hosted, online systems down after cybersecurity incident

Last October 9, the Information Technology Services Office reported a “data security incident” that compromised some of DLSU’s locally hosted applications and online systems. The University has since restricted access to its official website, the My.LaSalle and Animo.Sys portals, and other web applications. Use of computers—which include those for ID scanners, library self-check machines, and classrooms—in the Manila campus was also limited.

Students and faculty have also been required to enable two-factor authentication (2FA) and change the passwords guarding their DLSU email accounts by October 21 as a precautionary measure. Newly formatted personal computers are currently being issued to administrative offices, while maintenance work is being done to classroom and computer laboratory computers.

In effect to these restrictions and maintenance activities, the Manila campus shifted lecture and computer laboratory classes online from Wednesday, October 11, to Saturday, October 14. This adjustment limited in-person classes to physical education courses, exams, Lasallian Recollection activities, some SAS2000 learning modules, and laboratory subjects that do not require computer use.

As of press time, all classrooms are cleared for in-person classes, but only six computer laboratories are available for use in the Manila campus.

Most recently, the University also set up a temporary campus Wi-Fi.

Last October 11, DLSU released an official statement reassuring Lasallians that student records and cloud-hosted applications such as Zoom were unaffected by the incident. The University said that they are currently in contact with the National Privacy Commission and cybersecurity company Mandiant for assistance on the matter.

The LaSallian had reached out to the Information Technology Services Office and the Office of the Provost to clarify the safety of using the campus Wi-Fi, Animo Connect, before the temporary Wi-Fi was set up. However, both offices redirected the inquiry to the Office for Strategic Communications, who has yet to give a response. 

with reports from Jezah Mae Bagsit