MathWorks Cybersecurity Breach: Recovery Underway

TRENTON, NJ — MathWorks, the leading developer of mathematical computing software widely used by engineers and scientists globally, was the victim of a ransomware cyberattack on May 18, 2025. On Monday they issued a statement: "MathWorks experienced a ransomware attack. We have notified federal law enforcement of this matter. The attack affected our IT systems. Some of our online applications used by customers became unavailable, and certain internal systems used by staff became unavailable". MathWorks has yet to reveal additional information regarding this incident, including the name of the ransomware operation behind the attack and whether any customer data was stolen during the breach.

MathWorks, headquartered in Natick, Massachusetts, is renowned for its flagship products, MATLAB and Simulink. MATLAB is widely used by over five million people worldwide, including many students in educational settings. During the recent outage, numerous school and university students were affected. However, the company’s status page now confirms that MATLAB Online, the licensing server, and MATLAB Grader used for student assessments are all back online.

Cybersecurity experts note that ransomware attacks on software companies have increased in recent years, driven by the high value of intellectual property and the critical nature of their services. MathWorks’ products are integral to research, development, and education worldwide, making operational continuity essential.

This attack highlights the growing cybersecurity challenges faced by technology companies and underscores the importance of robust defenses to protect critical infrastructure and data. Further updates from MathWorks are expected as the investigation progresses.