A major ransomware attack has hit the Spanish employment agency, resulting in hundreds of offices across the country shutting down at a critical time due to high unemployment rates brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. The security incident affected the availability of the agency’s ITC systems while security professionals work to isolate the attack and mitigate its impact as well as determine the extent of the damage.
The agency confirmed that the attackers were unable to affect access to unemployment benefits. The organization has extended the deadlines for applicants due to the incident. Appointments have been canceled across the country despite the agency declaring that the payroll system has not been affected. The attack has knocked out workstations in roughly 710 offices and the laptops of remote workers.
