MathWorks, the software giant behind MATLAB and Simulink, has confirmed a cyberattack that compromised sensitive data belonging to more than 10,000 users worldwide. The breach, which occurred in April 2025, disrupted several core services and highlighted the ongoing vulnerabilities even in companies with strong reputations for technical excellence.
According to reports, the incident affected multiple MathWorks services, including multi-factor authentication, single sign-on systems, the company’s cloud platform, file-sharing services, licensing center, and its online store. These disruptions caused significant interruptions for many of its customers, particularly those relying on MATLAB for engineering, research, and academic projects. Shockingly, MathWorks only detected the attack on May 18, nearly a month after the initial compromise.
In a filing submitted to the Attorneys General of Maine and Massachusetts, MathWorks disclosed that 10,476 individuals were directly impacted. The stolen data included names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and other government-issued identification numbers, some of which were outside the United States. This type of information is highly valuable on the dark web, where it can be sold for identity theft, financial fraud, or spear-phishing campaigns.
While MathWorks has not revealed technical details about the breach—such as the malware used or the exact attack vector—the absence of any public claim of responsibility by hacker groups has raised speculation. Some cybersecurity analysts suggest that the company may be engaged in behind-the-scenes negotiations with attackers, or that a ransom payment may already have been made.
Founded in 1984, MathWorks has grown into a global software leader with 6,500 employees across 34 offices. Its flagship tools—MATLAB and Simulink—are used by more than five million engineers, scientists, and researchers worldwide. Given its reach, a data breach of this scale could undermine customer trust, particularly in sectors where data confidentiality and integrity are mission-critical.
Conclusion: The MathWorks incident underscores how even long-established technology firms remain vulnerable to sophisticated cyberattacks. With attackers increasingly targeting software providers, the breach serves as a warning for organizations across industries to strengthen monitoring, detection, and response mechanisms. For the global user base of MATLAB and Simulink, the event is not just a disruption—it’s a reminder of the growing risks tied to the digital ecosystem.
