The National Cyber Security Centre under the Ministry of National Defence has carried out an analysis of the cyber-information attack of December 9 and found that a security loophole in the website administration system was used to gain unauthorised access to a large number of public sector websites and send out three different pieces of fake news.
“This complex attack launched on the eve of changeover of governments is one of the most extensive and complex attacks carried out in Lithuania last year. An investigation has revealed that it was targeted and pre-planned. It is particularly alarming that even 22 websites were hacked as a result of the attack, most of them belong to municipal administrations. It is a signal of vast loopholes of cyber security in the public sector,” Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas says.
According to Minister, the National Cyber Security Centre under the MoD charted and provided recommendations to municipal administrations (available at https://www.nksc.lt/rekomendacijos/interneto_svetainiu_apsauga.html.)
The cyberattack took place on December 9 of this year, at 17 – 2100 hrs by exploiting a security vulnerability for logging on to Content Management Systems of one of Lithuania’s website developer’s websites. Access was gained to 22 public sector websites, mostly of municipality administrations. The malignant actors published three fake news stories: “Polish Diplomat Apprehended Crossing Lithuania Border” („Lenkijos diplomatas sulaikytas įvažiuojant į Lietuvą“), “”Šiauliai Airport Modernisation is a FAKE” („Šiaulių oro uosto infrastruktūros modernizavimo yra FEIKAS“), “Regional units of Military Conscription and Recruitment Service Specify Draftee Lists” („Karo prievolės ir komplektavimo tarnybos regioniniai padaliniai patikslina karo prievolininkų šauktinių sąrašus“).
At the same time, spoofed e-mail letters were sent imitating the Ministry of National Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Šiauliai municipal administration. The letters repeated the mentioned three fake news stories and included links to the hacked websites.
