Several Mercyhurst University servers were recently hit by ransomware, president Dr. Kathleen Getz said in a message sent Monday.

The attack affects both students and employees, Getz said. Multiple sources told Erie News Now the ransomware is impacting grades and financial aid.

The university said it is investigating to see if any sensitive data has been compromised.

Officials are working with third-party forensic specialists to investigate the source of the issue, determine the impact on its systems and get everything back to normal as soon as possible, according to the message from Getz.

The university told Erie News Now it could not comment because the incident is under investigation.

Ransomware is used by hackers to lock out access to digital files until money is paid.