Company Details
russell-group-of-universities
35
12,446
None
russellgroup.ac.uk
0
RUS_1015661
In-progress

Russell Group of Universities Company CyberSecurity Posture
russellgroup.ac.ukThe Russell Group represents 24 leading UK universities which are committed to maintaining the very best research, an outstanding teaching and learning experience and unrivalled links with business and the public sector. We aim to ensure that policy development in a wide range of issues relating to higher education is underpinned by a robust evidence base and a commitment to civic responsibility, improving life chances, raising aspirations and contributing to economic prosperity and innovation.
Company Details
russell-group-of-universities
35
12,446
None
russellgroup.ac.uk
0
RUS_1015661
In-progress
Between 700 and 749

RGU Global Score (TPRM)XXXX

Description: Between June 2022 and May 2025, **11 leading Russell Group universities** (including UCL, University of Cambridge, University of Manchester, and Liverpool University) reported **670 lost or stolen devices**—395 laptops, 75 tablets, and 200 phones—costing over **£300,000 in replacements**. Beyond financial losses, the incident exposes severe **data security risks**, as each device potentially grants cybercriminals access to cached credentials, email/cloud sessions, or sensitive research. The loss amplifies vulnerabilities in an already high-risk sector, where **73% of UK educational institutions faced cyberattacks in the past five years**.Experts warn that stolen devices could enable **data breaches, intellectual property theft, or targeted phishing**, particularly as ransomware groups increasingly exploit university research data. While encryption may mitigate some risks, the sheer volume of missing devices—combined with universities’ role as custodians of **student records, staff data, and classified research**—creates a critical exposure point. Industry leaders emphasize the need for **endpoint security reinforcement and cyber resilience training** to counter the escalating threat of physical device loss leading to digital compromise.


No incidents recorded for Russell Group of Universities in 2025.
No incidents recorded for Russell Group of Universities in 2025.
No incidents recorded for Russell Group of Universities in 2025.
RGU cyber incidents detection timeline including parent company and subsidiaries

The Russell Group represents 24 leading UK universities which are committed to maintaining the very best research, an outstanding teaching and learning experience and unrivalled links with business and the public sector. We aim to ensure that policy development in a wide range of issues relating to higher education is underpinned by a robust evidence base and a commitment to civic responsibility, improving life chances, raising aspirations and contributing to economic prosperity and innovation.


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Explore insights on cybersecurity incidents, risk posture, and Rankiteo's assessments.
The official website of Russell Group of Universities is http://www.russellgroup.ac.uk.
According to Rankiteo, Russell Group of Universities’s AI-generated cybersecurity score is 712, reflecting their Moderate security posture.
According to Rankiteo, Russell Group of Universities currently holds 0 security badges, indicating that no recognized compliance certifications are currently verified for the organization.
According to Rankiteo, Russell Group of Universities is not certified under SOC 2 Type 1.
According to Rankiteo, Russell Group of Universities does not hold a SOC 2 Type 2 certification.
According to Rankiteo, Russell Group of Universities is not listed as GDPR compliant.
According to Rankiteo, Russell Group of Universities does not currently maintain PCI DSS compliance.
According to Rankiteo, Russell Group of Universities is not compliant with HIPAA regulations.
According to Rankiteo,Russell Group of Universities is not certified under ISO 27001, indicating the absence of a formally recognized information security management framework.
Russell Group of Universities operates primarily in the Government Relations industry.
Russell Group of Universities employs approximately 35 people worldwide.
Russell Group of Universities presently has no subsidiaries across any sectors.
Russell Group of Universities’s official LinkedIn profile has approximately 12,446 followers.
Russell Group of Universities is classified under the NAICS code None, which corresponds to Others.
No, Russell Group of Universities does not have a profile on Crunchbase.
Yes, Russell Group of Universities maintains an official LinkedIn profile, which is actively utilized for branding and talent engagement, which can be accessed here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/russell-group-of-universities.
As of December 17, 2025, Rankiteo reports that Russell Group of Universities has experienced 1 cybersecurity incidents.
Russell Group of Universities has an estimated 420 peer or competitor companies worldwide.
Incident Types: The types of cybersecurity incidents that have occurred include Breach.
Total Financial Loss: The total financial loss from these incidents is estimated to be $300 thousand.
Detection and Response: The company detects and responds to cybersecurity incidents through an remediation measures with recommendations: endpoint security strengthening, remediation measures with cyber resilience training, remediation measures with device encryption/tracking, and recovery measures with device replacement (£300,000+), and communication strategy with public disclosure via foi/think tank report..
Title: Loss and Theft of 670 Devices Across UK Russell Group Universities (2022–2025)
Description: The UK’s leading Russell Group universities reported the loss or theft of 670 laptops, tablets, and phones over three years (June 2022–May 2025), raising concerns about data security. The incidents include 395 laptops, 75 tablets, and 200 phones across 11 institutions, with an estimated replacement cost exceeding £300,000. The lost/stolen devices pose risks of unauthorized access to sensitive student, staff, and research data, including cached credentials, email/cloud sessions, and potential exploitation for cyber-attacks (e.g., ransomware, phishing, or intellectual property theft). The sector is already a prime target, with 73% of UK educational institutions experiencing cyber-attacks in the past five years.
Date Publicly Disclosed: 2025-05-01
Type: Data Security Incident
Attack Vector: Physical TheftLost DevicesUnauthorized Access (Potential)
Vulnerability Exploited: Unsecured EndpointsCached CredentialsLack of Device Encryption/Tracking
Motivation: Opportunistic TheftPotential Data ExfiltrationFinancial Gain (Resale/Black Market)Cyber-Attack Enablement
Common Attack Types: The most common types of attacks the company has faced is Breach.
Identification of Attack Vectors: The company identifies the attack vectors used in incidents through Lost/Stolen Devices.

Financial Loss: £300,000+ (replacement costs)
Data Compromised: Potential: student/staff data, Research data, Intellectual property, Email/cloud session credentials
Operational Impact: Increased Cyber RiskReputation Damage
Brand Reputation Impact: High (sector-wide concern over data security)
Identity Theft Risk: Potential (if credentials exploited)
Average Financial Loss: The average financial loss per incident is $300.00 thousand.
Commonly Compromised Data Types: The types of data most commonly compromised in incidents are Potential: Personal Data (Students/Staff), Research Data, Intellectual Property, Credentials and .

Entity Name: University College London (UCL)
Entity Type: University
Industry: Higher Education
Location: London, UK

Entity Name: University of Cambridge
Entity Type: University
Industry: Higher Education
Location: Cambridge, UK

Entity Name: University of Manchester
Entity Type: University
Industry: Higher Education
Location: Manchester, UK

Entity Name: University of Liverpool
Entity Type: University
Industry: Higher Education
Location: Liverpool, UK

Entity Name: 7 Other Russell Group Universities (Unspecified)
Entity Type: University
Industry: Higher Education
Location: UK

Remediation Measures: Recommendations: Endpoint Security StrengtheningCyber Resilience TrainingDevice Encryption/Tracking
Recovery Measures: Device Replacement (£300,000+)
Communication Strategy: Public Disclosure via FOI/Think Tank Report

Type of Data Compromised: Potential: personal data (students/staff), Research data, Intellectual property, Credentials
Sensitivity of Data: High (academic/research data)
Data Exfiltration: Potential (if devices accessed by threat actors)
Data Encryption: Partial (some devices may have had encryption)
Personally Identifiable Information: Potential (if stored on devices)
Prevention of Data Exfiltration: The company takes the following measures to prevent data exfiltration: Recommendations: Endpoint Security Strengthening, Cyber Resilience Training, Device Encryption/Tracking, .
Data Recovery from Ransomware: The company recovers data encrypted by ransomware through Device Replacement (£300,000+), .

Lessons Learned: Physical device loss compounds digital cyber risks in higher education., Universities are high-value targets due to sensitive data (research, PII)., Endpoint security and cyber resilience must be prioritized to mitigate risks from lost/stolen devices.

Recommendations: Invest in **endpoint security** (e.g., encryption, remote wipe, tracking)., Enhance **cyber resilience training** for staff/students on device security., Implement **continuous monitoring** for suspicious access from lost/stolen devices., Prioritize **incident response plans** for physical device loss., Collaborate with **law enforcement** to recover devices and investigate theft patterns., Adopt **zero-trust principles** to limit access from unsecured endpoints.Invest in **endpoint security** (e.g., encryption, remote wipe, tracking)., Enhance **cyber resilience training** for staff/students on device security., Implement **continuous monitoring** for suspicious access from lost/stolen devices., Prioritize **incident response plans** for physical device loss., Collaborate with **law enforcement** to recover devices and investigate theft patterns., Adopt **zero-trust principles** to limit access from unsecured endpoints.Invest in **endpoint security** (e.g., encryption, remote wipe, tracking)., Enhance **cyber resilience training** for staff/students on device security., Implement **continuous monitoring** for suspicious access from lost/stolen devices., Prioritize **incident response plans** for physical device loss., Collaborate with **law enforcement** to recover devices and investigate theft patterns., Adopt **zero-trust principles** to limit access from unsecured endpoints.Invest in **endpoint security** (e.g., encryption, remote wipe, tracking)., Enhance **cyber resilience training** for staff/students on device security., Implement **continuous monitoring** for suspicious access from lost/stolen devices., Prioritize **incident response plans** for physical device loss., Collaborate with **law enforcement** to recover devices and investigate theft patterns., Adopt **zero-trust principles** to limit access from unsecured endpoints.Invest in **endpoint security** (e.g., encryption, remote wipe, tracking)., Enhance **cyber resilience training** for staff/students on device security., Implement **continuous monitoring** for suspicious access from lost/stolen devices., Prioritize **incident response plans** for physical device loss., Collaborate with **law enforcement** to recover devices and investigate theft patterns., Adopt **zero-trust principles** to limit access from unsecured endpoints.Invest in **endpoint security** (e.g., encryption, remote wipe, tracking)., Enhance **cyber resilience training** for staff/students on device security., Implement **continuous monitoring** for suspicious access from lost/stolen devices., Prioritize **incident response plans** for physical device loss., Collaborate with **law enforcement** to recover devices and investigate theft patterns., Adopt **zero-trust principles** to limit access from unsecured endpoints.
Key Lessons Learned: The key lessons learned from past incidents are Physical device loss compounds digital cyber risks in higher education.,Universities are high-value targets due to sensitive data (research, PII).,Endpoint security and cyber resilience must be prioritized to mitigate risks from lost/stolen devices.

Source: Parliament Street Think Tank (FOI Analysis)

Source: FDM Group (Sawan Joshi, Group Director of Information Security)

Source: Absolute Security (Andy Ward, SVP International)
Additional Resources: Stakeholders can find additional resources on cybersecurity best practices at and Source: Parliament Street Think Tank (FOI Analysis), and Source: FDM Group (Sawan Joshi, Group Director of Information Security), and Source: Absolute Security (Andy Ward, SVP International).

Investigation Status: Ongoing (analysis via FOI request; no formal investigation details provided)
Communication of Investigation Status: The company communicates the status of incident investigations to stakeholders through Public Disclosure Via Foi/Think Tank Report.

Entry Point: Lost/Stolen Devices,
Backdoors Established: Potential (if devices accessed)
High Value Targets: Student/Staff Data, Research Data,
Data Sold on Dark Web: Student/Staff Data, Research Data,

Root Causes: Lack Of **Physical Security** For Devices., Insufficient **Endpoint Protection** (E.G., Encryption, Tracking)., **Human Error** (Misplacement/Theft Of Devices)., **Sector-Wide Vulnerability** (Higher Education As A Target For Cyber-Attacks).,
Corrective Actions: Strengthen **Device Management Policies** (E.G., Mandatory Encryption)., Deploy **Remote Wipe/Tracking Tools** For Lost Devices., Conduct **Regular Audits** Of Device Inventory And Security Compliance., Enhance **Awareness Programs** On Cyber Hygiene For Remote/Work-From-Anywhere Scenarios.,
Corrective Actions Taken: The company has taken the following corrective actions based on post-incident analysis: Strengthen **Device Management Policies** (E.G., Mandatory Encryption)., Deploy **Remote Wipe/Tracking Tools** For Lost Devices., Conduct **Regular Audits** Of Device Inventory And Security Compliance., Enhance **Awareness Programs** On Cyber Hygiene For Remote/Work-From-Anywhere Scenarios., .
Most Recent Incident Publicly Disclosed: The most recent incident publicly disclosed was on 2025-05-01.
Highest Financial Loss: The highest financial loss from an incident was £300,000+ (replacement costs).
Most Significant Data Compromised: The most significant data compromised in an incident were Potential: Student/Staff Data, Research Data, Intellectual Property, Email/Cloud Session Credentials and .
Most Sensitive Data Compromised: The most sensitive data compromised in a breach were Email/Cloud Session Credentials, Research Data, Potential: Student/Staff Data and Intellectual Property.
Most Significant Lesson Learned: The most significant lesson learned from past incidents was Endpoint security and cyber resilience must be prioritized to mitigate risks from lost/stolen devices.
Most Significant Recommendation Implemented: The most significant recommendation implemented to improve cybersecurity was Enhance **cyber resilience training** for staff/students on device security., Implement **continuous monitoring** for suspicious access from lost/stolen devices., Adopt **zero-trust principles** to limit access from unsecured endpoints., Collaborate with **law enforcement** to recover devices and investigate theft patterns., Invest in **endpoint security** (e.g., encryption, remote wipe, tracking). and Prioritize **incident response plans** for physical device loss..
Most Recent Source: The most recent source of information about an incident are Absolute Security (Andy Ward, SVP International), FDM Group (Sawan Joshi, Group Director of Information Security) and Parliament Street Think Tank (FOI Analysis).
Current Status of Most Recent Investigation: The current status of the most recent investigation is Ongoing (analysis via FOI request; no formal investigation details provided).
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