National Center for Electronic Security monitors cyberattacks

JEDDAH: The National Center for Electronic Security detected destructive electronic strikes against several government agencies and vital establishments inside the Kingdom aimed at disrupting computer servers and electronic appliances to affect the services provided by the establishment.
The hack tries to seize entry information into the system to implant malware or a virus to disrupt users’ data. The hack attempt targeted several sectors, including the government sector, transport and other agencies.
The center had sent warnings against organized threats aimed at disabling the services provided by some agencies, on Nov. 19, 2016. Warnings were also sent and shared with many government agencies and vital facilities, and contained important and necessary information on how to avoid any hacking attack, and the means of protecting and safeguarding, along with technical steps to ward off any repercussions as a result of the breach.
The center recommends following the best practices in the protection of electronic systems, in particular with regard to reducing Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) access via VPN service.
The indicators show that the source of this attack is from outside the Kingdom and has come in several ongoing electronic attacks aimed at government agencies and sectors.
The center stresses the need for various sectors and businesses to follow the best practices and take the necessary preventive measures to safeguard and protect their data and systems from potential electronic intrusion.
During the past few years, a number of Saudi networks and websites witnessed systematic and violent cyberattacks that targeted both the public and private sectors in the Kingdom, the last being in August, while the most severe was in 2012 targeting Saudi Aramco.