Beware of hackers, government offices warned

Government bodies should beware of cyber attacks that target information technology in particular, warned the National Center for Information Security of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. A number of governmental bodies took precautionary measures, mainly the departments of security and information technology, raising the level of utmost caution. Officials and employees were told not to browse unfamiliar links on the web, or open suspicious e-mails that hackers might have sent to steal data and other personal information. Recent cyber attacks on governmental sites prompted the maximum caution of all government departments. A virus that was implanted on Aramco’s network by phishing resulted in the malfunction of 30,000 computers. The Cabinet decided that all departments should comply with the general policy and other procedures in relation with information security. The National Center for Information Security is a non-profit organization that aims to raise awareness about threats and dangers that face the information security field. It cooperates with various members and partners, to coordinate preventive measures in relation with cyber-attacks and maintain electronic security across the Kingdom. Source: ArabNews