Latvia urges security checks after attacks on remote cooling systems

Latvia’s Crisis Management Centre has urged ministries and municipalities to check the cybersecurity of remotely controlled equipment and engineering systems after attacks on refrigeration systems in Europe and attempted attacks in Latvia, LSM reported.

Authorities have sent institutions practical guidance and asked them to identify relevant equipment, assess its security and take protective measures where necessary within a week.

Remote systems are used to manage heating, water supply and sewage, energy infrastructure, food and medicine storage, and building services in schools, hospitals and other institutions. A cyberattack could disrupt not only information systems but also technical processes, the preservation of resources and the continuity of services.

The centre recommends identifying equipment, its location and its maintenance providers; checking that control panels are not directly accessible from the internet; changing default passwords and reviewing user access; and securing remote connections with a VPN or another closed, encrypted connection, strong passwords and two-factor authentication. It also advises separating industrial control systems from an organisation’s general computer network, reviewing security updates and monitoring equipment, and preparing for cyber incidents.

Private operators, municipal companies and equipment maintenance businesses with remote system access should pay particular attention to the guidance. Ministries and municipalities have been asked to inform them of the threat. Any unauthorised access to equipment or its control systems must be reported immediately to Latvia’s cyber incident response institution, Cert.lv.