Slovakia Hit by Largest Land Registry Cyberattack in History

Slovakia has experienced its most severe cyberattack in history, targeting the Slovakian Geodesy, Cartography, and Cadastre Office (UGKK), which manages the nation’s land and property data. The attack, believed to be ransomware, caused a complete shutdown of the agency’s systems and closure of its physical offices earlier this week. Local media reports suggest that the attackers are demanding millions of euros in ransom.

Agriculture Minister Richard Takac assured the public that system backups would restore the affected data and ruled out any risk of fraudulent changes to property ownership records. While details remain sparse, Takac noted “strong indications” that the attack may have originated from Ukraine. However, these claims have not been independently verified, and Ukraine has not commented on the allegations.

The cyberattack has caused significant disruption across multiple sectors. Real estate and mortgage markets have been paralyzed, with property transactions and related legal proceedings stalled. Municipalities, including Bratislava, have struggled to provide essential services, such as issuing parking permits, due to the land registry shutdown. Citizens have also been unable to obtain legal documents proving property ownership or file new applications for land-related matters.

Cybersecurity experts warn that it could take months to fully restore the registry’s systems, depending on the reliability of available backups. The incident highlights the cascading effects of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, impacting industries such as real estate, finance, and public services.

The attack comes amidst heightened tensions between Slovakia and Ukraine, fueled by recent disputes over Russian gas transit through Slovakian territory. Local political groups have called for a diplomatic response, but the investigation into the cyberattack is ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge in the coming weeks.

This incident follows a wave of cyberattacks across Europe, underlining the urgent need for robust cybersecurity measures to protect critical infrastructure.

Source: The Record from Recorded Future News

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