UCD employee charged with offences related to access of student data

An employee at University College Dublin (UCD) has been charged by gardai investigating the use of malware to access personal student data at the third-level institution.

The garda national cyber crime bureau says it has been investigating the use of malicious software following a complaint they received from the university in late 2023.

Investigators carried out a number of searches at UCD and at the suspect’s home in 2024.

They say devices seized during the searches were analysed and a man in his 50s was arrested in May 2025.

Gardai identified 100 victims and formally interviewed them as part of the investigation, with their personal student data held on the UCD network and personal data held outside the university’s network accessed.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has directed the suspect be charged with multiple offences connected with the investigation and he is due to appear in court on Friday.

In a statement, gardai said: “The garda national cyber crime bureau has and continues to engage with identified victims and the third-level educational institution involved in this investigation.”