PHP vulnerabilities prompt shutdown of LSM and state websites

LSM temporarily took its website offline on Wednesday after a critical security vulnerability was announced in PHP software, the Latvian public media outlet reported. The flaw affects websites in Latvia and abroad.

The LSM.lv website was unavailable for about five hours. The Latvian Radio website and mobile app were still offline at the time of the report, while the websites of several ministries and state institutions, including the president’s office, were also temporarily shut down.

Services at 165 state and municipal institutions were interrupted. Most resources were gradually restored and were again accessible from within Latvia, LSM reported.

The National Cyber Security Centre, part of the Ministry of Defence, restricted access to state information systems using affected PHP software to IP addresses in Latvia until the vulnerabilities are fixed. The ministry also urged private-sector companies to check their IT systems and install available security updates.