Ethical Hacking News
A popular academic publisher has fallen victim to a LAPSUS$ redirect attack, redirecting customers to the cybercrime group's leak page instead of providing access to its journals. Elsevier has confirmed the incident, but claims that no core platforms, customer data, or research content were compromised.
Academic publisher Elsevier fell victim to a LAPSUS$ redirect attack, redirecting customers to the cybercrime group's leak page. The attack left users confused and concerned about potential data compromise. LAPSUS$ linked the attack to previous high-profile cyberattacks on notable organizations. Elsevier responded promptly, resolving the issue with its cybersecurity team and claiming no core platforms or data were compromised. The incident highlights the need for academic publishers to strengthen their cybersecurity measures and the importance of robust security protocols to protect sensitive information.
Academic publisher Elsevier, renowned for its ScienceDirect platform, which hosts scientific, technical, and medical journal articles, has recently fallen victim to a redirect attack by the notorious cybercrime group known as LAPSUS$. In a surprise move, LAPSUS$ redirected customers to their own leak page instead of providing access to Elsevier's journals, leaving users confused and concerned.
The incident came to light on September 22, when a Reddit user, self-described as a nursing student, posted a screenshot of the LAPSUS$ leak site after encountering an unexpected redirect while trying to access the Elsevier website. The user's post sparked concerns among the academic community, with many wondering if their personal data had been compromised.
Elsevier promptly responded to the incident, stating that it identified the issue on September 21 and immediately resolved the problem with the help of its cybersecurity team. The company claimed that the redirect attack was a narrowly scoped, limited-duration event that only affected certain web properties, with no indication of core platforms, customer data, research content, or operational systems being compromised.
LAPSUS$, on the other hand, has been linked to numerous high-profile cyberattacks in the past, including those targeting Rockstar Games, Adidas, GitHub, and various other household names. The group's modus operandi typically involves launching targeted attacks on high-value targets, often resulting in significant financial losses and reputational damage for the affected organizations.
While Elsevier's response to the incident seemed adequate, the incident highlights the ongoing threat of cyberattacks and the need for academic publishers to strengthen their cybersecurity measures. The incident also serves as a reminder of the vulnerability of academic databases and the importance of robust security protocols to protect sensitive information.
In conclusion, the LAPSUS$ redirect attack on Elsevier serves as a warning to academic publishers and other organizations to prioritize cybersecurity and invest in robust security measures to protect against such threats. As the threat landscape continues to evolve, it is essential for organizations to stay vigilant and adapt to emerging security risks.
A popular academic publisher has fallen victim to a LAPSUS$ redirect attack, redirecting customers to the cybercrime group's leak page instead of providing access to its journals. Elsevier has confirmed the incident, but claims that no core platforms, customer data, or research content were compromised.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Academic-Publisher-Elsevier-Hit-by-LAPSUS-Redirect-Attack-A-Briefing-on-the-Incident-ehn.shtml
https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/09/23/academic-publisher-elsevier-hit-by-lapsus-redirect-attack/5298592
Published: Wed Sep 23 10:17:50 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
