The Chamber of Deputies in Romania faced a significant security breach on Tuesday.
Hackers infiltrated the institution’s database, leading to the theft of sensitive information, including the personal data of Romania’s Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu. This confidential information has reportedly surfaced on the dark web, raising serious concerns about data security and political confidentiality.
The attackers have demanded a ransom, seeking over 30,000 euros, payable in Bitcoin, in exchange for the deletion of the stolen data. This demand marks an alarming trend of digital extortion targeting high-profile government entities.
Bogdan Gruia-Ivan, the Minister of Research, Innovation, and Digitization, disclosed that the hackers exfiltrated approximately 250 Gigabytes of data. This massive data breach includes both personal documents and information related to the electronic devices of parliamentary members. The extent of the breach underscores the increasingly sophisticated nature of cyber threats facing government institutions.
In response to this security incident, the General Secretariat of the Chamber of Deputies has announced the preparation of a formal complaint to the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT). DIICOT has initiated investigations, addressing charges of illegal access to an informatic system, data integrity alteration, disruption of informatic systems, and blackmail.
This cyberattack highlights a critical vulnerability in the digital infrastructure of Romania’s legislative body and raises questions about the adequacy of current cybersecurity measures. The incident underscores the need for heightened security protocols and swift action to protect sensitive governmental data from similar threats in the future.
The Romanian government, in collaboration with cybersecurity experts, is now focused on assessing the full extent of the breach and implementing measures to prevent future incidents. This situation serves as a stark reminder of the evolving challenges in maintaining digital security in an increasingly interconnected world.
