Hundreds of Swedish municipalities impacted by suspected ransomware attack on IT supplier

A suspected ransomware attack on Miljödata, a Swedish software provider used for managing sick leave and similar HR reports, is believed to have impacted around 200 of the country’s municipal governments.

The attack was detected on Saturday, according to the company’s chief executive Erik Hallén. The attackers are attempting to extort Miljödata, police told local newspaper BLT.

Swedish Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin wrote in a short update on social media: “The scope of the incident has not yet been clarified, and it is too early to determine the actual consequences.”

Hallén told Swedish press agency TT that around 200 municipalities and regions were affected by the incident. Sweden has 290 municipalities and 21 regions.

Several regional governments have confirmed using Miljödata systems to handle employee data, including “for example, medical certificates, rehabilitation plans, work-related injuries, and more,” according to the local government of the island of Gotland.

Hallén reportedly said Miljödata was “working very intensively with external experts to investigate what happened, what and who was affected, and to restore system functionality.”

“The government is receiving ongoing information about the incident and is in close contact with the relevant authorities,” Bohlin, the civil defense minister, said.

“CERT-SE, which has the task of supporting Swedish society in handling and preventing IT security incidents, has offered advice and support to both the company in question and the affected customers,” the minister added. “The national cybersecurity center is coordinating the measures of the relevant authorities. A police investigation is also underway.”

He stressed the incident underscored the need for high levels of cybersecurity throughout society, and said the Swedish government planned to present a new cybersecurity bill to the Swedish parliament in the near future “that will impose increased requirements on a wide range of actors.”