CYBERWARZONE – The municipality of Herselt in Belgium has been hit by a cyberattack, which has prompted an investigation into potential data breaches. Although experts are still assessing the situation, initial reports suggest that the damage is not severe.
However, the attack has caused significant disruptions to municipal services, with facilities at the Mixx Leisure Center, the town hall, the library, and the OCMW closed until Monday.
The cyberattack was detected on Friday evening (07-04-2023), and security measures were immediately heightened. Currently, experts are combing through the municipality’s servers to determine whether any sensitive information has been accessed.
While it is still unclear whether any data breaches have occurred, the mayor, Peter Keymeulen (N-VA), has reassured citizens that the leaks would be limited. The municipality has not received any ransom demands, and the identity of the attackers remains unknown.
Despite the lack of significant data breaches, the cyberattack has caused significant inconvenience to the municipality’s operations. For example, employees have been unable to send or receive emails, and services such as document requests, submissions, and the leisure center’s reservation system have been disrupted. The town hall, library, and OCMW were closed on Tuesday due to the ongoing investigation, with the hope that they will be operational again soon.
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