Nothing works anymore: when cyber attacks disable administration | NDR.de – News

By Lars-Ulrich Houschka

Cyber ​​attacks on companies and public administrations have increased significantly in recent months and years. The attacks on municipal applications in Wismer and subsequent attacks on KSM, the municipal IT service provider, thereby the attacks on the administrations of the city of Swerin and the administrations of the Ludwigslast-Parchim district, show how much business and administration depend on ID – and how vulnerable this infrastructure is. There is.

A safe house is one that has no doors or windows

How can you better protect this infrastructure – and still use it comfortably? In the new NDR MV podcast “Dorf Stadt Kreis”, IT expert Birger Bösel compares the problem of burglary security to a building: if a house does not have windows and doors, no intruders can enter. At the same time the house is uninhabitable. The windows and doors make it a residential building – but a little less secure. Yes, windows and doors – but please protect them well.

Very few have trained for 20 years

For this protection you need not only the right systems and software – but also experts. Information technology professionals are rare and sought after by business and public administration – both of which compete with each other. IT expert Posel says the reason for the shortage of skilled workers is many years old. Very few were trained: “We really know what to expect in 20 years. We haven’t even slept with it – we haven’t done it.”

Additional information

Investigators from the state criminal police office are still searching for those involved in the cyber attacks. It may also include redemption requests. Further

No backup – no awful

This sentence has become a household word in the ID scene. But KSM and the administrations in Schwerin and Ludwigslust-Parchim districts have backed up their data – the system cannot be restarted at the press of a button. First, Birger Posel claims that a sleeper virus may be lurking inside backups, and second, it can hide on every workstation computer. After the attack on KSM and management, 4,000 workstation PCs had to be removed from the network. Everything needs to be checked and re-planned. “Anyone who has ever updated their computer at home knows what kind of work it does – now 4,000 times.” Meanwhile, some parts of the administration, such as the Vehicle Registration Office, are running again – but normal operations in all areas will only be restored next year.

When the free “virus scanner” is actually viral

This applies to the private sector as well as the business sector: there is no such thing as 100 percent security. Hackers target some inattentive individuals, however, who hide their malware and Trojans in downloadable applications and applications: “I want to reduce the fear a little. General knowledge is enough. Focus on who the culprits are. His tip: Download only what you really need, read reviews beforehand, and keep up-to-date on software updates from the manufacturer – and make sure you have security-related applications like online banking from your mobile phone or tablet.

“Nothing works anymore – when cyber attacks disable management” – the new NDR MV podcast “Dorf Stadt Kreis” is now available on ndr.de/mv and the ARD Audio Library.

Additional information

According to the Rostock State Attorney’s Office, a medium-sized company from the Rostock district was affected. It paid a four-digit sum. Further