Baptist University reviews IT security after ransomware group claims breach

Allegations made by cybercrime group ‘The Gentlemen’, as cybersecurity monitoring platforms report about 1,900 credentials may have been compromised

Baptist University has said it is reviewing the security of its information technology (IT) systems after a ransomware group claimed online to have illegally accessed the Hong Kong institution’s data.

The allegations were made by “The Gentlemen”, an advanced cybercrime group that first appeared in the middle of last year. Cybersecurity monitoring platforms reported that about 1,900 credentials linked to the university may have been compromised.

The purported data reportedly included roughly 130 staff accounts, about 1,770 other user accounts and 260 third‑party employee credentials.

Researchers say The Gentlemen operates on a revenue-sharing model – renting its extortion software to other hackers – and has expanded rapidly across global networks.

In a statement released on Tuesday night, the university said it had noted a webpage alleging that its IT systems were unlawfully breached and was closely reviewing the security of its systems and personal data.

It added that it would take appropriate action under established mechanisms and remain in contact with local regulators and law enforcement.