Unclear when problems after hacker attack will be over

Unclear when problems after hacker attack will be over
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full screen Kimmo Alkio, CEO of Tietoevry, whose data services – and thus many authorities and companies that buy them – were hit by a hacker attack a week ago with major consequences. Archive image. Photo: Magnus Hjalmarson Neideman/Svd/TT

It is progressing, but it is impossible to say when the problems will be solved.

That’s the picture Tietoevry’s CEO gives in an interview with Dagens industri after the hacker attack last weekend that affected the company and its data services and thus many companies, healthcare and authorities.

“Given that this concerns criminal activity that has been reported to the police, we cannot say much,” CEO Kimmio Alkio tells the newspaper, but adds that “now it’s all hands on deck, with a fight between the good guys and the bad guys.”

Affected customers have been contacted and some systems have been restored. But Alkio does not want to say how many customers have had problems or assess when they may be resolved.

– We are making significant progress, but how this will end cannot be fully predicted, as is the case with cybercrime, says Alkio.

Di also writes that the Riksbank, like previously Tietoevry, has reported the hacker attack to the police, which the Russian hacker group Akira is believed to be behind. The Riksbank cannot access its system for personnel and salaries.

“It is unknown at the time of notification whether personal data was leaked to an unauthorized person, why the Riksbank is also reporting the incident,” the notification states.

Around 120 authorities use the payroll and personnel system Primula, a system managed by the Statens service center and supplied by Tietoevry.

FACTS Affected companies and authorities

The exact extent of the January 20 extortion attack is not known. Tietoevry has not issued a list of those affected. The following companies have themselves confirmed or appeared to be affected by credible sources:

Systembolaget, Stadium, Rusta, Granngården, Filmstaden, Moelven.

Region Västerbotten, Region Uppsala, Region Blekinge, Region Sörmland, Vellinge Municipality.

Dalarna University, Lund University, Swedish Agricultural University, Karlstad University, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm University, Western University. The Riksbank.

Several of the above are covered by the Primula HR system that was affected by the attack, that system is used by 120 Swedish authorities.

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