The City Hall of Timisoara, located in Romania, along with the Tax Directorate of the Municipality (DFMT) and the Local Police of Timisoara, recently experienced a ransomware cyberattack targeting their server systems. The attack occurred during the night from Friday to Saturday and was promptly detected by the city hall’s digital security system. In response to the threat, specialists from the city hall immediately implemented a series of countermeasures with assistance from contracted cybersecurity firms to prevent the total compromise of their systems. Fortunately, there are no indications that the attackers successfully extracted any personal data from the affected systems.
Timisoara City Hall quickly reported the incident to relevant authorities, ensuring that cybersecurity experts from the National Directorate of Cybersecurity were brought in to investigate. The primary objective of the attack was to encrypt and block access to the city hall’s computer systems, a common tactic used by cybercriminals to extort organizations for ransom payments. Despite this incident, the Timisoara City Hall had technical measures in place designed to mitigate such attacks, and their immediate response demonstrated a commitment to not yield to blackmail attempts.
Following the attack, city hall specialists worked diligently throughout the weekend to reset the compromised systems, collaborating closely with cybersecurity authorities to restore normal operations. As a result, all online services offered by the City Hall have returned to normal functionality, including the Single Portal for urban planning certificates, online appointment scheduling at the Population Registry, and other public services. However, due to the attack, the Tax Directorate of the Municipality temporarily suspended the collection of local taxes online and by card at counters, although cash payments remained available at designated locations.
The Local Police also experienced disruptions, as online notifications were suspended and had to be managed through phone communications at the dispatch center. The ongoing investigation is expected to yield further details about the incident, and the city remains committed to enhancing its cybersecurity measures to prevent future attacks. The local government is taking this situation seriously, focusing on the security of its digital infrastructure while ensuring the continuity of essential services for the community.
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