[CLOP] – Ransomware Victim: WITS[.]AC[.]ZA

AI Generated Summary of the Ransomware Leak Page

On October 27, 2025, at 11:24:48.269836, a leak post attributed to the Clop ransomware group lists WITS.AC.ZA—the online domain used by the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa—as a victim in the education sector. The page describes WITS.AC.ZA as the university’s domain and references the institution as a leading, research-intensive education provider. The leak page appears in a queue-based interface, instructing viewers not to refresh and to expect automatic redirection to the platform. There are no visible downloads, images, or attached files on the page, and no explicit ransom demand or encryption status is shown. A claim URL is indicated as present on the page, but the content behind that link is not provided in the data. Because no separate compromise date is supplied, the post date serves as the reference timestamp for this report.

From a threat intelligence perspective, this listing mirrors Clop’s practice of publicizing breaches involving high-value targets on leak sites. While the page confirms the victim identity, it provides no immediate data samples and shows zero media assets, suggesting either an early stage of the leak or data that is accessible only via the linked claim page. There is no posted data to indicate whether encryption occurred or the extent of data exposure, and no ransom figure is disclosed in the provided data. The victim focus remains on WITS.AC.ZA, the University of the Witwatersrand. Defanged references to a claim URL imply further information may be available behind that link. Defenders should monitor for updates from the group, coordinate with the university’s cybersecurity team to verify incidents and integrity of backups, and be prepared for potential data exposure or negotiation activities if the claim page reveals additional material.