New manuals issued for state cyber safety
The National Intelligence Service (EYP) has issued new comprehensive guidelines to protect phones and computers from spyware amid growing concerns about digital security. The three handbooks, developed over the summer, are part of a broader effort to strengthen cybersecurity across the public sector.
Officials from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Presidency and various ministries have received these guides, while local authorities can request them upon need. This latest cybersecurity initiative follows a string of digital breaches targeting critical infrastructures, including the land registry, postal service and financial systems.
EYP’s director, Themistoklis Demiris, warned that breaches could jeopardize national security by exposing classified data critical to the country’s operations.
The handbooks offer both general and specific advice, tailored to different operating systems like Windows, MacOS and Ubuntu. One key recommendation is to favor Mozilla Firefox over Google Chrome when using Android devices, as spyware often exploits vulnerabilities in Chrome. Another is against using public USB charging stations, a common point of attack where spyware can be implanted via the ports.
For enhanced protection, officials are advised to avoid opening suspicious email attachments or clicking on unknown links, as phishing remains a major entry point for malware. The guidelines further suggest regularly connecting smartphones to computers using cables, as this can trigger the self-destruction of some spyware.
EYP’s security push also extends to discouraging the use of widely popular encrypted messaging apps for official communications, urging officials to switch to less mainstream, but more secure, alternatives.
