ZAGREB, 23 July (Hina) – The recent hacker attack on Split Airport is a classic ransomware case, where a ransom is demanded to unlock data, Interior Minister Davor Božinović said on Tuesday, adding that the services have identified an international group from Eurasia.
“Since last night, all our services have been cooperating within Croatia, as well as with Europol, the FBI, and other partner services worldwide. It’s important to say that this is a cyber attack, not a terrorist attack, this is a classic ransomware,” he told the press in Split.
Hackers use malicious programmes to shut down information systems and lock certain data, and then in most cases demand money to unlock them, he added.
“Our position is that there are no negotiations with criminal groups, and as for system recovery, work is under way and I’m sure it will be resolved in due course. The international group has been identified in cooperation with foreign partners. The geolocation, for now, isВ the Eurasian region.”
Asked if this was the same group that recently attacked Zagreb’s largest hospital, Božinović said it was a similar attack but “I wouldn’t confirm that.”
Commenting on how cybersecurity clubs warn that better protection is needed, Božinović said everyone, the state, state and private institutions, must invest more in cybersecurity because this happens every day worldwide, and Croatia is not isolated.
Asked if recent attacks indicate that criminal groups have recognised a lack of security in Croatia, the minister reiterated that this happens everywhere.
“We have a system coordinated by the SOA (Security and Intelligence Agency), involving all other services, including the Interior Ministry, and it’s an ongoing fight. Our information systems, including those attacked, are restored in a short time, and business continues, as is the current situation at Split Airport.”
The Daruvar killer case will be re-examined
Asked if there was police responsibility in yesterday’s multiple murders in a Daruvar nursing home, given reports that the gunman had previously threatened an acquaintance with a weapon, Božinović said the case would be analysed from the beginning.
“The police had their reports indicating that in the incident a month ago, there was no mention of a gun being used,” he said, adding that he ordered and the police director sent a professional team “already in Daruvar today to analyse the case from the beginning.”
He said that what was in the interest of the public, the system, and the affected families of those killed would be investigated. He extended condolences to the families and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
Božinović said a criminal investigation began yesterday and that 12 minutes after the horrific crime, police arrested the suspect, who has been questioned and is in custody.
Asked again if he saw any police responsibility or mistakes, Božinović said the expert team sent from Zagreb would investigate all questions raised in the public sphere.
“According to everything presented to me yesterday by police officers from both the Bjelovar-Bilogora County Police Department and the Daruvar Police Station, the police acted in accordance with the law in this case, and we will see what the findings of the expert team are.”
