The government issues a statement. - National data network experiences rise in cyber attacks, reports State Secretary.
Last year, the Thuringian state authorities faced a surge in cyber attacks on their IT systems, as revealed by Financial State Secretary Hartmut Schubert. According to him, the IT security situation was "extremely tense" and at "partially critical levels" in 2023. During a recent cabinet meeting, the secretary responsible for state IT described the situation after noticing multiple incidents of attacks on internet services. He mentioned that the Thuringian state administration had to limit access to its websites on several occasions, with certain municipal institutions getting targeted by criminals.
One of these instances involved the administrative community of Hohe Rhön as well as the city administration of Bad Langensalza, which both fell victim to cyber criminals. Their internet pages were overwhelmed with requests, resulting in the restriction of certain web services.
Another attack resulted in the temporary paralysis of the Online Watch, an online registration portal for police reports. Additionally, cyber attacks on the Thuringian Accident Insurance generated considerable attention, as they led to the theft of sensitive data belonging to insured individuals.
Schubert also disclosed the staggering figure of 21 million spam emails blocked through technical measures. Over half of all emails sent to state authorities were categorized as spam. The heightened threat level, Schubert explained, can be attributed to the repercussions of Russia's cyber war against Ukraine and the deliberate disruptions caused by pro-Russian hackers.
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In response to the escalating cyber threats, the Thuringian government enhanced its cooperation with local police forces to bolster online security. The city of Erfurt was one of the regions heavily impacted by these digital assaults, with their government websites sometimes requiring temporary restriction due to cyber attacks. The state authority stressed the importance of strengthening the defense against such attacks, considering the potential damage they could cause to critical infrastructure.
