Local authorities in the German district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld, one of 11 in the northeastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, have declared a state of emergencyafter computer systems were paralyzedas a result of a hacking attack. It is a security incident that the federal cybersecurity watchdog confirmed as the first “cyber disaster” in Germany.
The malicious actors behind the attack disrupted the computer systems of the Anhalt-Bitterfeld district on July 6 , a spokesperson confirmed to Reuters on July 10 .
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Specifically, the spokesperson stated the following: “We are almost completely paralyzed.” Furthermore, local authorities are particularly concerned about whether they will be able to continue their online services next week.
They also declined to comment on the identity of the attackers or whether they had demanded a ransom. They explained that they could not provide further information as a police investigation was ongoing. According to sources, German local governments often use “outdated” and poorly maintained software systems that are likely to be an “easy” target for cybercriminals.
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The Anhalt-Bitterfeld district, with a population of 157.000 residents, is currently unable to provide welfare benefits. The subsequent disaster declaration is an official step that gives it the ability to request federal assistance.
This cyberattack is the latest in a series of security incidents targeting public infrastructure, including the recent cyberattack on Colonial Pipeline – the operator of the largest US natural gas pipeline – while hackers have also targeted widely used IT applications with ransomware attacks.
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Germany's cybersecurity agency BSI said it had dispatched a crisis team to Anhalt-Bitterfeld. A spokesman said that while other local authorities had also been hit by cyberattacks, none had reported a "cyber disaster" as a result.
Information source: insurancejournal.com
