Ukraine‘s Banking System Disrupted by Massive Russian Cyberattack
A significant cyberattack attributed to Russia has temporarily disrupted certain state registries, asserting a negative impact on Ukraine’s banking system. This is according to a report by 24channel citing a message from the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) in response to an Interfax-Ukraine query.
The NBU confirms that the lack of access to registries hinders the opening of new accounts and credit issuance. While the NBU’s information systems remain operational, the unavailability of state registries does affect banks’ activities.
This incident echoes a similar scenario from the early days of the large-scale invasion when the NBU issued guidelines on banking operations amidst registry access disruptions. The central bank is currently preparing a similar letter to assist banks in adapting to the new circumstances.
Ministry of Justice Ukraine reports that the network infrastructure failure occurred on December 19. Vice-Premier Olga Stefaniishyna confirmed the attack targeted critical infrastructure. Estimation suggests the recovery of key registries could take up to two weeks.
Initial priorities for restoration include the State Registry of Civil Status Acts, the Unified State Registry of Legal Entities and Individuals – Entrepreneurs, and the Real Estate Dispute Resolution registry oversaw by the notary chambers.
