Moldova’s government warns citizens after cyberattack may have exposed data of 750,000 people

Moldovan authorities detected a cyber attack on the country’s government digital services during the night of Oct. 22, and the intrusion may have exposed personal information for approximately 750,000 people, UA.NEWS reported. The e-Government Agency said attackers attempted to access citizens’ personal data. Authorities warned of possible fraud attempts in which fraudsters call citizens or send e-mail claiming to represent government agencies, banks, or other organizations, and fraudsters may use a person’s name or personal identification number to appear trustworthy.

Knowing someone’s personal information does not necessarily mean a caller represents a government agency or bank, according to UA.NEWS. Authorities advised citizens not to disclose passwords, verification codes, or confidential information to unknown people. People should avoid suspicious links and should not confirm financial transactions when asked by unknown individuals, UA.NEWS said. Moldovan experts audited about 82 government digital platforms and addressed identified vulnerabilities after the attack.

The attack ended on Oct. 23. Government systems recorded about 11 million requests to state services during the incident. After experts noticed unusual activity, they temporarily shut down government services considered at risk, according to UA.NEWS. Law enforcement agencies and the National Center for Personal Data Protection are involved in the investigation as authorities continue working to determine all circumstances of the incident.

Moldovan authorities keep auditing government systems as the inquiry proceeds, and certain digital services will return only after required security measures are complete, UA.NEWS reported. Some online services remain offline pending audits. Experts fixed the problems, though some platforms remain unavailable. Authorities will not rush restoring all systems until experts confirm the services are secure enough for safe use, Prime Minister Vasile Tofan said.

Protecting citizens’ personal data remains a top government priority and requires stronger digital security plus investment in critical infrastructure protection, UA.NEWS reported. The government will continue protecting citizens’ data and preventing future incidents by investing in security, particularly cybersecurity, Tofan emphasized. Tofan said such incidents may become more frequent and urged greater investment in the security of government systems.

Moldova must prepare for new attacks since cyber threats will not vanish and may grow more serious as technology advances, he said, according to UA.NEWS. “We live in an era when such incidents are becoming – and will continue to become – more and more frequent.” Modern algorithms can spot software weaknesses humans might miss, and these abilities can improve security or reveal digital system vulnerabilities, Tofan said.

Cybersecurity is a critical issue for Moldova and European Union countries, requiring continuous improvement of state system protection and readiness for new threats, UA.NEWS reported. Moldova’s government issued a public warning after the breach of state digital services that may have exposed personal data for about 750,000 people. The prime minister said cyberattacks may become more frequent while urging greater security investment, according to UA.NEWS.

Moldovan media reports say the potentially exposed information could cover names, birth dates, family details, social benefits, driver’s licenses, vehicles, companies, and IBAN bank accounts. Preliminary data indicates that about 750,000 people may have had their information obtained by attackers, UA.NEWS reported.