Cambridge International University website hacked after University came under scrutiny

The Website of Cambridge International University, a University based out in US, getting hacked only a day after university came under intense scrutiny raises questions.

The US-based University, i.e. Cambridge International University, came under the scrutiny when Datuk Marzuki Yahya, Malaysia's Deputy Foreign Minister, admitted that his business administration degree was obtained from this institution. After Marzuki's admission, the Cambridge International University came under intense scrutiny. It also increases suspicion that the US-based University is "diploma mill", which awarded degrees with no or little study.

Instead of displaying the webpage of university to the visitors visiting the Cambridge International University website, the hacked website now shows a page having a skull image and words HACKED written in red. The hacked website also displays a message on the end of the page which says, "Apologies, but no results were found. Perhaps searching will help find a related post".

Fong Choong Fook, the Director of LGMS - a cybersecurity company, said that although the professional hackers are more financially driven now-a-days and will make demands, but there are other hackers also who for making a political statement or for showing off their hacking skills might hack a website. Fong further added that, "it could be a genuine hack or maybe not. But someone would have to make a digital forensic check to see how it was hacked as it would be hard to tell who is behind it and why otherwise."

Fong said the University which is run properly makes sure that they have a well-secured and a configured website at place, whereas the directory index of Cambridge International University is exposed. He also points out to the fact that Cambridge International University website URL or address ends with ".us" extension and not ".edu", which is pretty unusual for an educational institutions website. The .edu domain gives educational institution credibility as it is not easy to obtain it, because the domain registrar will verify and then filter out the dubious applicants.

This Cambridge International University has no affiliation with the Britain's University of Cambridge. The Cambridge International University has also mentioned this on their website that it is non-accredited.

» SPAMfighter News - 2/25/2019