Warning of outdated systems in the wake of cyber attacks

In the wake of a barrage of attacks by hackers against Greek state websites, government sources have indicated that some of the systems being used for the protection against cyber attacks are outdated, underlining the need for more robust security.

Some of the current systems date as far back as 2004, according to sources who pointed to widespread lapses in security, while stressing the need for stricter password policies in the public sector.

Concerns were raised last week after Turkish hackers brought down several Greek websites, including that of the National Intelligence Service (EYP), the Foreign Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office. Government spokesman Stelios Petsas referred to distributed denial-of-service or DDoS attacks which make websites unavailable to users.

The DDoS technique is often used as a distraction to allow hackers to steal data in a parallel assault. However, there is no indication that any data were stolen last week.