Lidovky: Ministry of Interior also victim of hackers last week

Hackers attempted to get into the computer system at the Czech Ministry of the Interior last week, Lidovky.cz reported on Wednesday. A number of Czech hospitals, the Ministry of Health and Prague Airport have all seen their computer networks face attack recently.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior said somebody had attempted to find weaknesses in its computer system’s defences. The government department had previously received warnings from the Office for Cyber and Information Security and the police’s organised crime division, which investigates serious cyber crime.

Last Friday the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, said his country was concerned about cyber attacks against Czech hospitals that had taken place in the preceding days, which he said could cause deadly results during the coronavirus crisis.

Lidovky.cz reported that the local authorities were in contact with the US’s FBI in connection with the attempted hacking of facilities in the Czech Republic.

On Tuesday the Russian Embassy in Prague denied media reports that the attacks had been carried out by Russia.

Author: Ian Willoughby