Hessische Hochschule für öffentliches Management und Sicherheit

The organisation known as HfPV, also referred to as the Hessische Hochschule für öffentliches Management und Sicherheit (HöMS), is a higher education institution situated in Germany. Its core mission revolves around delivering education and training in the fields of public management and security. It serves a community that includes enrolled students, academic lecturers, administrative staff, and external business partners. As a Hochschule, it focuses on applied sciences, aiming to combine theoretical knowledge with practical skills relevant to public sector professions. The institution operates under the public higher education framework of the German state of Hesse. Its activities are geared toward preparing individuals for careers in governmental administration, public safety, and related security domains.

On February 8, 2024, the institution experienced a cyberattack that targeted its legacy network infrastructure. The breach potentially exposed personal data spanning over a decade, encompassing names, addresses, contact information, images, license plates, and possibly tax numbers, banking details, and health records such as medical certificates and vaccination data. Those affected by the incident included current and former students, employees, lecturers, and business partners associated with the Hochschule. The compromised data raised concerns about privacy violations, identity theft, social engineering, and phishing exploits due to the exfiltration of communication details. In response, the organisation filed criminal charges and notified potentially impacted individuals in accordance with its GDPR obligations. It also established a dedicated contact channel for inquiries and continues to cooperate with law enforcement and prosecutors, whose investigations remain ongoing. The incident highlighted vulnerabilities in the institution’s older IT systems and prompted ongoing efforts to strengthen its cybersecurity posture.