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.
(Photo source: Peerapong Boriboon | Dreamstime.com)
