Jan 31, 2024. Posted by Balkan Periscope - Hellas
Hackers breached the database of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of the Parliament, after a recent cyber attack.
They reportedly managed to obtain confidential information, such as the prime minister’s identity documents, medical analyses, and other personal data.
The attack was reported after Digi24 discovered that a group of
hackers was boasting about it online. The hackers threatened to release the
personal data of the deputies if they did not receive a ransom. They even
published some of the information, including identity cards, specifically those
of prime minister Marcel Ciolacu and UDMR leader Kelemen Hunor. The PM said on
Wednesday, January 31, that he would change his ID card following this
incident.
Medical records, contracts with banks, and data regarding personal vehicles
could be among the stolen documents. The hackers reportedly demanded a ransom
of 0.8 bitcoins, equivalent to EUR 30,000.
The Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, or DIICOT,
announced that a criminal case had been opened concerning the cyber attack.
Representatives of the Chamber clarified that no ransom demand has been made.
The minister of research, Bogdan-Gruia Ivan, stated that approximately 250
Gigabytes of data were extracted, partly personal documents, and partly data
related to the electronic devices of the parliamentarians.
"At the moment, state institutions are doing their job and are at the
headquarters of the Chamber of Deputies and are expected to issue a technical
report based on which the president of the Chamber of Deputies will act against
the wrongdoers," said Bogdan Ivan. "[The security of the data] is
both the responsibility of STS and the direct responsibility of the Chamber of
Deputies," he added.
Romania’s Special Telecommunications Service, or STS, which oversees
many of the state websites, noted that it was not tasked with managing or
ensuring the cybersecurity of the information system of the Chamber of
Deputies.
"STS will provide all necessary support for remedying these types of
situations reported to our institution by the beneficiaries of IT&C
services," the STS representatives indicated, cited by News.ro.
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