Cyberattack

Cyprus successfully defended against multiple cyber attacks targeting critical infrastructure, with authorities confirming six separate incidents over three days, including attempts against the government portal and Larnaca Airport.
The Cybercrime Unit was alerted to the threat after Arab hacker groups announced their planned attacks on the dark web.
The attacks primarily employed Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) methods targeting six infrastructure facilities across the Republic of Cyprus.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the attacks aimed to overwhelm servers with excessive traffic, potentially creating backdoors for data theft. The targeted institutions included the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC), which faced two attempts, Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (Cyta), EKO energy company, and the government portal.
An expert speaking to philenews indicated that Cyprus’s cyber defences have improved since the spring 2023 attacks that targeted the University of Cyprus, the Department of Lands and Surveys, and the Open University.
The Digital Security Authority has since installed sensors on critical infrastructure networks to detect unusual traffic patterns.
The authorities have launched an investigation into the incidents, with Europol expected to be notified. The attacks were reportedly linked to ongoing military operations in the Middle East.
The Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy confirmed that all attempts to breach state websites were successfully repelled, demonstrating enhanced cyber defence capabilities compared to previous incidents.