State agencies face malware attacks

Several government departments have recently suffered malware breaches, including two confirmed ransomware attacks, according to Secretary for the Department of Information, Communication and Technology, Steven Matainaho.

Speaking at the US Embassy’s Digital Media Forum, Matainaho warned that weak governance and unsafe employee practices such as using unprotected flash drives are leaving agencies exposed.

He stressed the need for stronger compliance with cybersecurity standards issued two years ago.

“It’s a human thing. Everyone needs to be responsible, from the top down to the employees,” Matainaho said.

The Secretary said the National Cyber Security Center receives one to two incident reports each month, though he believes many more go unreported.

He urged all agencies to promptly disclose attacks so patterns can be identified and addressed through the National Executive Council.

“These incidents are not isolated,” he cautioned “They form part of a wider pattern affecting multiple agencies.”

Matainaho called on all departments to strengthen IT defenses and comply with national standards to protect operations from future malware threats.