A security breach at the software provider for over 100 local governments in Belgium has led to concerns over phishing attempts and fake documents being circulated.
The hack happened within eSingFlow, the digital signature tool from software provider Vande Broele, with an unauthorised person gaining access to confidential data. The number of municipalities were affected by the hack is currently unknown.
"The situation varies greatly from one municipality to another,’ Vande Broele CEO Bram Van Impe told VRT NWS. "In the vast majority of cases, there has been little or no data leak. In some municipalities, however, there has been a more significant leak. We are currently in contact with the affected municipalities to ensure they are all fully aware of their exact situation."
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Vande Broele decided to take the software offline after it noticed suspicious activity on its servers on Friday. By Sunday, municipalities once again gained access to it, after the provider had secured the breach and started mapping out the extent of the hack. Each affected municipality will receive an individual assessment of what data was accessed.
According to Van Impe, the leaked data is mostly metadata, as he ruled out any documents being signed and sent by the hackers.
Despite the assessment, municipalities have warned of potential phishing attempts using the accessed data. People are being asked to be wary of any messages or letters asking to share personal information and to make sure that the payment information on a fine matches the publicly available information from the municipality.
"We deeply regret this incident," says Van Impe. "Since the attack was detected, our teams have been working round the clock to secure our systems, minimise the impact and prevent similar incidents in the future."
