A wave of cyberattacks has struck websites in Cyprus over recent days, Communications Commissioner Giorgos Michailidis told CNA. He struck a reassuring tone, however, noting that the attacks represent the “simplest and most harmless” form of digital assault.
The attacks are Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) incidents, in which websites are overwhelmed by artificially inflated traffic and rendered temporarily inaccessible. “No special skills are needed to carry out this kind of attack,” the Commissioner stressed.
The targeted websites are not limited to government portals, making it difficult to identify a clear pattern. Michailidis explained that the phenomenon may be linked to developments in the Middle East or to the Cypriot Presidency of the EU, although he did not rule out coincidence.
Regarding countermeasures, the Commissioner explained that the Digital Security Authority (DSA) monitors the situation around the clock and systematically informs critical infrastructure operators. However, effective protection depends on website owners themselves, who are urged to invest in specialised traffic-filtering services.
“The more you pay, the bigger the attack you can withstand,” Michailidis acknowledged, noting that such preventive measures must be taken in advance.
