The CPAS incident as an example of why social security should go hand in hand with digital.
The Public Center for Social Action (CPAS) in Charleroi, Belgium, has temporarily suspended the work of several departments due to a cyberattack. Representatives said this on Tuesday, adding that the "emergency services" did not close as an exception.
Didier Neyrink, a specialist from CPAS, stressed that although the cyberattack did not lead to the breakdown of all affected systems, most of them decided to disable them for security reasons. "We are currently assessing the extent of the damage," he explained.
Although the nature of the attack is not officially disclosed, the local newspaper Sudinfo reported that the case is related to cyber extortion and the attackers have already made their demands.
CPAS operates in 581 municipalities in Belgium, offering an extensive range of social services, from financial assistance and housing to medical and legal advice.
The management said that nursing homes and social service centers are operating normally. "We are adapting our work processes to complete all the tasks we have set," Neyrink added, assuming that the rest of the services will resume working on Monday. For now, staff will use pens and paper for writing and reporting.
Cyber attacks on government organizations in Belgium are not uncommon and are similar in scale to incidents in other European countries. For example, a hospital in Brussels recently faced a cyberattack that forced it to redirect ambulance crews to other facilities.
There is no exact information about what goals the attackers were pursuing and who might be behind it.
The Public Center for Social Action (CPAS) in Charleroi, Belgium, has temporarily suspended the work of several departments due to a cyberattack. Representatives said this on Tuesday, adding that the "emergency services" did not close as an exception.
Didier Neyrink, a specialist from CPAS, stressed that although the cyberattack did not lead to the breakdown of all affected systems, most of them decided to disable them for security reasons. "We are currently assessing the extent of the damage," he explained.
Although the nature of the attack is not officially disclosed, the local newspaper Sudinfo reported that the case is related to cyber extortion and the attackers have already made their demands.
CPAS operates in 581 municipalities in Belgium, offering an extensive range of social services, from financial assistance and housing to medical and legal advice.
The management said that nursing homes and social service centers are operating normally. "We are adapting our work processes to complete all the tasks we have set," Neyrink added, assuming that the rest of the services will resume working on Monday. For now, staff will use pens and paper for writing and reporting.
Cyber attacks on government organizations in Belgium are not uncommon and are similar in scale to incidents in other European countries. For example, a hospital in Brussels recently faced a cyberattack that forced it to redirect ambulance crews to other facilities.
There is no exact information about what goals the attackers were pursuing and who might be behind it.
