The Service Public of Wallonia (SPW) in Belgium detected a significant cyberattack targeting its IT systems. In response, the SPW, with approval from the government, temporarily disconnected its internet services to assess the breach’s scope. This measure was implemented to safeguard the organization’s infrastructure and prevent further damage. The SPW’s digital applications, including the official Wallonie.be website, were also taken offline.
Currently, no sensitive data appears to have been compromised.
The SPW emphasized that critical services, such as those related to infrastructure like roads and locks, were continuously monitored and secured during the incident. Despite the disruption to various public services, the authorities reassured citizens that essential operations involving critical infrastructure continued. The SPW’s crisis cell was also activated to prioritize urgent tasks and manage ongoing operations.
The organization is carefully monitoring the impact on digital systems, including those affecting public interactions like service requests. While email access was affected for some departments, other operational functions, such as traffic and lock management, remained unaffected.
However, some services, such as energy counters, experienced delays due to the unavailability of access to servers and files, requiring manual processing of requests.
Although no ransom has been requested, the SPW advised citizens to remain vigilant about potential phishing attacks and fraudulent websites using the Wallonie.be logo. As the incident progresses, authorities are coordinating with the Federal Cybersecurity Center to assess further risks and keep the public informed.
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