University of Hertfordshire

The University of Hertfordshire is a public higher education institution situated in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom. It provides undergraduate and postgraduate education across a broad spectrum of disciplines including science, technology, business, arts and humanities. Teaching is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, laboratory work, practical sessions and online learning environments. The university supports research activity that aims to generate new knowledge and address real‑world challenges. It operates multiple campuses, notably the College Lane and de Havilland sites, which house teaching facilities, laboratories and student services. The institution serves a diverse student population drawn from the UK and international communities. Staff include academic faculty, researchers and professional services personnel who support teaching, learning and administrative functions. The university’s mission centres on providing accessible education and fostering student success.

In April 2021 the University of Hertfordshire suffered a cyberattack that disrupted its IT infrastructure. The attack impacted core services such as Microsoft Office 365, Teams, Zoom, institutional email, Wi‑Fi connectivity, data storage systems and virtual private network access. Consequently, all online classes were cancelled and access to on‑campus computer facilities, laboratories and remote specialist software was restricted. In‑person teaching and learning activities that did not rely on computer resources continued to operate where feasible. The university communicated that any delays in assignment submission would not result in academic disadvantage for students. While the precise nature of the attack was not disclosed, the incident occurred amid a broader trend of ransomware‑type threats targeting educational organisations. The disruption prompted the institution to engage its IT and security teams to restore services and assess vulnerabilities. The episode highlighted the importance of robust cyber‑resilience measures for universities delivering blended learning models.