Mathworks / Matlab ransomware May 2025
The Mathworks experienced a major outage starting on May 18, 2025 due to a ransomware attack. The Mathworks’ license servers have been effectively required by default for Matlab for ~ five years. Virtually all Mathworks services were down initially for about a week, and then services are gradually being restored. The outage affects users worldwide regarding ability to start Matlab or install toolboxes. Trying to access Mathworks services results in a 503 return code or “no healthy upstream” or similar. Previously, external institutions cited a cyberattack.
Internet discussions have been peppered with recommendations to switch to GNU Octave, which is a free and open-source alternative to Matlab. However, the proprietary toolboxes that add so much value and functionality to Matlab are often not available for GNU Octave. Examine the GNU Octave Help forum to assess issues facing Octave users vs. Matlab Answers forum. It behooves instructors to consider avoiding proprietary toolboxes except where essential to the learning goals. Note that Python packages (and libraries in just about every programming language) have also experienced cyberattacks. Matlab adds serious value to many research and development projects, but the reliance on a single vendor for such a critical tool is a risk that should be considered.
Transitioning to open-source alternatives like GNU Octave or Python take considerable effort. Using the Matlab Engine for Python can help incrementally transition Matlab projects to Python.