Exam platform crashes again, causing havoc in schools

A new cyberattack targeted a state-run exam platform on Tuesday morning, causing severe delays in the ongoing high school exams taking place around Greece. 

The attack disabled the Greek Research and Technology Network (GRNET) which supports the platform from which teachers choose topics for the exams, as well as the Panhellenic School Network, the internet service provider of the Ministry of Education, which connects school rooms and administrational services.

“This attack that took place yesterday and I must say that it also took place this morning, is an attack on education,” General Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Alexandros Koptsis told ANT1 on Tuesday morning, adding that today’s cyberattack was bigger than Monday’s. 

Asked why there are no safeguards in place to protect critical infrastructure, Koptsis said the attack “hit another part of the infrastructure.”

The ministry official did not provide any further details on the attack, saying that the ministry is “fully activated.” 

On Monday, the massive influx of up to 280,000 connections per second blocked access to the exam platform, postponing the exams on dozens of schools. 

Officials from the ministries of Education and Digital Governance, and GRNET were quick to provide assurances to a concerned public that the security of nationwide university entrance exams, which start on Thursday, will not be compromised.