Key electricity distributor in Romania warns of ‘cyber attack in progress’

One of Romania's most important energy services companies has announced it is currently tackling an ongoing cyberattack.

Electrica Group, which is listed on the Bucharest and London stock exchanges and provides energy to more than 3.8 million customers in Romania, published a note to investors on Monday warning of a “cyber attack in progress.”

“Teams of specialists are working closely with the national cybersecurity authorities to manage and resolve the incident, aiming to address the situation as quickly as possible, identify the source of the attack, and limit its impact,” the company’s chief executive Alexandru Chirita stated.

The statement stressed that its critical systems “have not been affected, and any disruptions in interaction with our consumers are the result of protective measures for internal infrastructure.”

“These measures are temporary and are designed to ensure the security of the entire system,” they said.

The nature of the attack has not been disclosed, however it is likely to prompt speculation that pro-Russian hackers may be responsible given that last week Romania annulled its presidential election over alleged Russian interference.

The unprecedented move to annul the first round and demand the entire campaign be run again followed the release of intelligence documents on December 4 by the outgoing president, Klaus Iohannis, that assessed a far-right candidate’s success was due to widespread state-sponsored interference on his behalf.

“Our primary priority remains maintaining continuity in the distribution and supply of electricity, as well as protecting the managed personal data and the operational data of all entities within Electrica Group,” Chirita said.

“We will continue to keep the public informed about the situation's developments and the measures being taken to resolve it. In this context, we recommend that our consumers remain vigilant about any suspicious messages received in the company's name and avoid providing personal data through unsecured channels.”