Albania’s cyber woes continue following two cyber attacks in July and September, and the publication of sensitive government communications and data, as some systems in the border police and those relating to registering newborns persist.
While many systems have been restored across the country following the July attack that brought every digital service offline for several days, others are still not in order. Currently, the system cannot process address data, meaning parents of newborn children are unable to register them, resulting in long queues in Elbasan, a big city in the central region.
Furthermore, a source within the border and migration department said there were still issues in processing applications and renewals of ID cards and documents of foreign residents, risking permits running out and people being slapped with hefty fines.
“But why not announce it and tell what the plan is? Either way no penalty for overstays or say the immigration office will do it via paper until the problem is fixed. Just nothing. They let the rumour mill do their work,” one frustrated foreign resident told Exit.
Meanwhile, US Ambassador Yuri Kim spoke at the American Chamber of Commerce event in Tirana, where she said those perpetrating the attack are trying to undermine people’s faith in democracy.
“The US is here to help, we have helped with cyber measures,” she added.
On Monday, hackers started publishing sensitive information from the border control authorities, including documents on alleged plots to kill Albanian and Kosovo politicians, while the prosecutor in Tirana has banned media from publishing any of the data.
“The prosecutor’s office has decided that no data published by the authors of the cyber attack shall be published by audiovisual media, print, online, in social networks or in any form of publication or transfer of data,” it reads.
Local journalists have condemned the decision, saying it goes against the law and their rights as journalists to publish information in the public interest.
Source » euractiv