Cyberattacks are now commonplace, and defending against them—as well as constantly adapting IT systems to address new security vulnerabilities—has become part of daily life in IT departments both large and small. Among the largest of these are university computer centers, which must manage a widely distributed network comprising numerous departments and locations. The fact that historically evolved university structures sometimes involve very different requirements and conditions does not exactly make the task of providing reliable, secure, and user-friendly services to thousands of staff members and tens of thousands of students at all times any easier. Justus Liebig University Giessen learned the hard way just how severely cyberattacks can impact university operations when, in December 2019, it became the first German university to fall victim to a ransomware attack. Since then, awareness of the importance of IT security in public institutions has grown, and universities are devoting increasing attention and resources to this issue. What exactly happened back then? What impact did the attack have on the university, and what lessons were learned from it?
Matthias Stenke serves as deputy director and head of operations for IT security at Justus Liebig University Giessen, and also heads the university’s Enterprise Architecture Management unit. In this Digitalgespräch, the IT security expert provides a first-hand account of how the hacking attack on JLU Giessen unfolded in December 2019, what strategy the attackers pursued, how those in charge and supporters responded, and how the university managed to emerge stronger from this crisis despite the enormous extent of the damage. Together with hosts Marlene Görger and Petra Gehring, Stenke discusses the role that solidarity and effective communication played in this process, and why IT security at universities is not just a matter for experts—but, in light of increasing threats, requires all members to do their part.
Episode 69: Digitalgespräch feat. Matthias Stenke from the Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, 16. September 2025
Further Information:
To the mentioned article „#JLUoffline. Der Cyber-Angriff auf die Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen im Dezember 2019“ in the ABI Technik: https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/abitech-2022-0005/html?lang=de
all episodes of Digitalgespräch
The podcast is in German. At the moment there is no English version or transcript available.