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Osaka Metropolitan University Cancels Classes After Suspected Ransomware Attack

OMU canceled classes through October 8 after a major systems outage. Ransomware was suspected, and reports of server impact and possible data exposure remain subject to investigation.
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Osaka Metropolitan University (OMU) canceled classes from October 2 through October 8, 2026, after a large-scale outage disabled core systems, campus networks and multiple services. The university’s initial notice said the cause was under investigation; on October 6, The Record reported that OMU believed ransomware was responsible. That assessment remained a suspicion in the reporting, not a confirmed forensic conclusion.

What happened at Osaka Metropolitan University?

OMU said its large-scale systems and network outage began at about 00:30 on October 2. The university’s notice described core systems and various services as unavailable, and it canceled classes through Thursday, October 8. The initial announcement covered one day; a later update extended the cancellation period. OMU’s October 2 notice records the outage and class dates.

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OMU also said its usual website and email systems were down. It directed people to a temporary notice site for updates while those services were unavailable. The temporary site was identified by the university as the place for notices until its regular website was restored.

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Was the outage caused by ransomware?

Ransomware was the university’s suspected explanation, not a publicly confirmed cause in the sources available. OMU’s October 2 notice said the cause was still under investigation. In an October 6 report, The Record said the university believed ransomware caused the disruption and was working with outside cybersecurity specialists. The report did not identify attackers or say whether a ransom demand had been received. The Record’s October 6 account describes the reported assessment and investigation.

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How many servers and people were affected?

The Record reported that about 500 servers stopped operating, citing university officials. It also reported that information associated with at least 130,000 current and former students, faculty members and other people connected with OMU may have been exposed. The potentially affected details included names, addresses and email addresses. These are figures reported by The Record on October 6 from the university’s statements, rather than counts published in the reviewed OMU notice. The Record’s report provides those figures.

Possible exposure is not the same as confirmed theft. The university had not confirmed that personal information was stolen and was still investigating whether any data had leaked. The Record reported that the question of data leakage remained unresolved.

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Which university services were disrupted, and what kept operating?

The Record described disruption across systems used for academic administration, educational support, financial accounting, payroll, human resources and library services, as well as university websites and the internal network. OMU’s notices separately documented email problems, postponed course-registration changes and course applications, and adjustments to parts of its financial-aid application process. The Record’s service-impact report and OMU’s temporary notices detail the reported scope.

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The outage did not mean every OMU operation stopped. According to The Record, entrance-exam applications and enrollment procedures remained available because those systems were hosted on external servers. The university hospital’s electronic medical record system continued to operate, as did the veterinary clinical center. The Record’s report lists these exceptions.

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When were classes expected to resume?

The Record reported that OMU planned to restart in-person classes on Friday, October 9, with online classes resuming depending on system recovery. The reviewed official cancellation notice establishes the cancellation through October 8, but does not verify whether the planned reopening occurred. Anyone needing the current class status should check OMU’s temporary notice site or official updates rather than treating the reported plan as confirmation.

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