Institut national polytechnique de Toulouse

The Institut national polytechnique de Toulouse (INP Toulouse) is a public higher education institution located in Toulouse, France, operating under the national polytechnic institute framework. It encompasses several campuses in the Toulouse area, where it delivers academic programs in engineering and applied sciences. The institute's core mission is to provide higher education in technological fields, awarding degrees recognized within the French and European higher education systems. Its multi-campus presence supports a range of educational activities, from lectures to practical laboratory work, serving students pursuing careers in engineering and related sectors. As a national institution, INP Toulouse is funded by the French state and adheres to national educational standards, contributing to the technological and industrial development of the region.

On September 12, 2022, INP Toulouse experienced a significant cyberattack that compromised the majority of its servers and data across all its campuses. The attack resulted in the encryption of institutional data and a ransom demand, severely disrupting the institute's IT infrastructure and rendering its official website inaccessible. Despite the extensive digital breach, physical safety systems and sensitive data were reported to remain unaffected, indicating some segmentation in the institution's data security. In response, INP Toulouse filed a formal complaint with authorities and publicly acknowledged the incident, though it withheld any decision regarding the ransom payment. The cyberattack highlighted vulnerabilities in the institute's digital systems and prompted reviews of cybersecurity protocols. This event was widely reported in local media, including La Dépêche, underscoring the growing threat of ransomware attacks against educational institutions.