Italy’s National Cybersecurity Agency today, Sunday, February 5, warned organizations globally to take imminent action to protect their systems. Their advice came after a hacking attack was carried out on computer servers across the world.
According to the Agency, thousands of computers across the world have been compromised by a massive ransomware hacking attack. Speaking with the Reuters news agency, Roberto Baldoni, the ACN director general, told them that the hacking attack sought to exploit a software vulnerability. It was on a massive scale he added.
Servers have been compromised across the world, including in the USA, Canada, Finland, and France reported Italian news outlet ANSA, citing the ACN. Organisations throughout Italy are very likely to have been affected by this attack. To avoid being locked out of their systems, the ACN urged them to take preventative action.
Earlier today, large parts of Italy were affected by a massive internet outage. The problem was reported by Telecom Italia although the issue was not thought to be connected to the hacker attack. TIM blamed the incident on a glitch with an international link.
Customers from as far afield as Sicily in the south of Italy to Milan in the north of the country reported problems with their internet services.