In a surprising turn of events, the Czech Republic has witnessed a decrease in cybersecurity incidents this September compared to the summer months, according to the National Cyber and Information Security Agency (NÚKIB). The agency reported 21 incidents in September, which aligns with the annual average, marking a significant drop from July’s 32 incidents.
Of the 21 recorded incidents, only one was classified as significant, with the rest deemed less impactful. The NÚKIB hasn’t recorded any highly significant incidents since September of last year, suggesting an overall improvement in the country’s cybersecurity landscape.
Service availability remains the primary category of cyber incidents. However, September’s issues were largely attributed to technical faults, some linked to power outages during floods. This shift highlights the interconnectedness of digital and physical infrastructure vulnerabilities.
The agency also noted five Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. These attacks, which aim to overwhelm online services with a flood of fake requests, have been a common tactic in the cyber warfare parallel to the conflict in Ukraine.
While the overall number of incidents has decreased, the threat landscape remains diverse. Eight incidents fell under the information security category, including three ransomware attacks and cases of login credential abuse and internal data leaks. This variety of threats underscores the need for comprehensive cybersecurity measures across all sectors.
Despite the recent decline, it’s worth noting that 2023 saw a record number of cyber attacks, with 262 incidents recorded – nearly double the 146 attacks in 2022. This surge was largely attributed to repeated waves of DDoS attacks by pro-Russian hacker groups, highlighting the geopolitical dimensions of cybersecurity threats.