Lithuania is grappling with a significant cybersecurity breach after more than 600,000 entries from national data registers were illegally accessed. The Lithuanian General Prosecutor's Office announced on Friday that the stolen data primarily came from real estate and legal entity registers. The breach was executed using login credentials of institutions authorized to access the data.
In response to the leak, Adrijas Jusas, head of the State Enterprise Center of Registers, resigned on Monday. Lithuanian authorities have implemented additional cybersecurity measures, including blocking accounts of suspected data users and requiring credential updates for access.
The prosecutor's office suspects foreign involvement in the breach but has not named any specific country. Given Lithuania's strategic location on Russia's border, concerns are high that the theft could be part of Russia's hybrid war tactics against Europe.
Opposition politician Laurynas Kasčiūnas suggested on social media that Russian intelligence might be behind the operation, though no evidence was provided. Kasčiūnas warned that the stolen data could include addresses of intelligence officers, military personnel, diplomats, and politicians, potentially allowing the perpetrators to spy or exert pressure on these individuals.
This incident underscores the growing threat of cyberattacks on national infrastructure and the need for robust cybersecurity measures in the face of foreign adversaries.