Greece’s Land Registry Agency Hit by Massive 400 Cyberattacks: Unprecedented Invasion

Greece’s Land Registry Agency Hit by Cyberattacks

Imagine you’re enjoying a peaceful vacation on a beautiful Greek island when suddenly news breaks that the country’s Land Registry agency has been targeted by a massive wave of cyberattacks. Well, that’s precisely what happened last week! The agency reported that it had been hit by 400 cyberattacks, leading to a limited data breach. Hackers managed to compromise some employee terminals and steal 1.2 GB of data, which is about 0.0006% of the total data held by the organization. Thankfully, none of the stolen data contained citizens’ personal information.

What Was Compromised, and What Wasn’t?

The breached data primarily consisted of administrative documents. While this isn’t ideal, it’s not expected to impact the registry’s operations. Moreover, the hackers failed at something crucial: creating a malicious user to infiltrate the agency’s central database. They did manage to access one of the database’s backups, which are updated daily, but their attempt to exfiltrate the data to an external server was blocked. In other words, they didn’t get away with the good stuff!

No Ransomware Detected

As we all know, ransomware is a significant concern in the world of cybersecurity. We’ve seen countless organizations fall victim to ransomware attacks, leading to massive disruptions and financial losses. However, in this case, the Land Registry’s internal investigation, supported by the Cybersecurity Directorate of the General Staff of National Defense, found no evidence of ransomware on the breached systems. That’s a silver lining, right?

Emergency Measures Taken to Protect Systems

To reduce the risk of ransomware and protect their systems, the Land Registry agency has taken several emergency actions. They’ve terminated all VPN access to block malicious users, reset all employees’ passwords, and made two-factor authentication mandatory. These measures will help protect their accounts from unauthorized access and prevent similar breaches in the future.

Are the Attacks Over?

The last recorded attack took place in the early morning of July 19, 2024, and was successfully thwarted. There have been no further updates, so we don’t know if the attacks are still ongoing. However, the agency’s digital services continue to operate as normal, and transactions with citizens, which are considered safe, have remained uninterrupted throughout the attacks.

Greece’s Cybersecurity Challenges

Greece has faced its share of cybersecurity challenges in recent years. In 2022, the country’s state-owned postal services provider, ELTA, fell victim to a ransomware attack that led to a country-wide service disruption. A few months later, the largest natural gas distributor, DESFA, was hit by Ragnar Locker ransomware, compromising data and causing an IT systems outage. These incidents highlight the importance of robust cybersecurity measures for government and private organizations alike.

Let’s Learn from Greece’s Experience

While the recent attack on Greece’s Land Registry agency was limited in scope and didn’t result in catastrophic consequences, it serves as a reminder that no organization is immune to cyber threats. It’s essential to invest in strong cybersecurity measures and stay vigilant. Don’t wait for an attack to happen before taking action. If you’d like to learn more about how to protect your organization from cyber threats, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re always here to help you stay informed and secure!