RBI does not accept demand of hacker attack; answering "through protocols"

The Ruđer Bošković Institute (RBI) confirmed on Thursday that the hacker attack on the internal server of the RBI's administrative services was with a "ransomware request", which "the RBI does not plan to accept but responds to the incident exclusively through professional and security protocols".

In that cyber incident, a vulnerability in the Microsoft SharePoint system was used, through which unauthorized access was achieved to the internal server of the IRB's administrative and professional services, i.e. it was a so-called ransomware attack, the RBI replied to and inquiry from the HINA news agency.

Ransomware is a type of malware that disables access to computer systems or files and then demands a ransom to regain access.

Applications and data related primarily to administrative business processes are located on that server, the RBI adds, and points out that according to the findings so far, the attack did not affect other parts of the system or other servers of the IRB, and that at this stage of the investigation it is not yet known whether there was unauthorized access to personal data.

The IRB, in cooperation with experts, continues to intensively determine all the circumstances of the incident. If it is determined that personal data has been accessed, the RBI will take appropriate measures in a timely manner in accordance with the GDPR, it said.

The RBI notes that, in addition to its own activities through the IT Support Department, it has engaged experts from HR-CERT and other relevant state cybersecurity organizations, and the incident has been reported to the Personal Data Protection Agency in accordance with Article 33 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

At the same time, the RBI is continuing the previously initiated construction of a completely new IT infrastructure in accordance with the latest cybersecurity standards, it adds.

The system remains disconnected as a precaution, and the network will be restored gradually, with careful upgrades and restoration of data from backup copies, said the Ruđer Bošković Institute.

Source: HRT/HINA