The Austrian State Department's IT systems were hit by a cyberattack last Saturday and many believe that a "state actor" may be behind the attack.
The attack, which was disclosed late Saturday night, is said to be "serious" and experts warn it could continue for several days, according to a joint statement from the Foreign Ministry (BMEIA) and the Ministry of the Interior (BMI).
The joint statement also read, "Due to the gravity and nature of the attack, it cannot be excluded that it is a targeted attack by a state actor."
On the same day of the attack, Austria's Green Party gave the go-ahead to form a coalition government with the conservative People's Party, leading many to believe the attack could be politically motivated.
The ministry claims that the attack was detected early on and that security controls responded immediately in response to the attack. It did, however, go on to say, "Despite all intensive security measures, there is never 100 percent protection against cyber-attacks", before adding that other European countries have experienced similar incidents in the past. The ministry also claims that a "coordination committee" has been created.
It's true that despite having all of the controls in place, hackers can still find a way through an organization's defenses. Having said that, having controls in place like the essential CIS Controls can reduce your risk of successful cyberattacks by nearly 95%.
Both in Congress and at a legislative level, there is increasing evidence to suggest that the adoption of a best practice security framework, such as the CIS Controls, is now the best option for organizations to mitigate breaches, while at the same time avoiding any subsequent, costly fines.
Read NNT CEO's latest article Your Best Bet for a Safe Ride? Buckle Up with a Best Practice Security Framework
You can learn more about the CIS Controls and what controls NNT can help you address in our CIS Controls Solution Brief.