Half a million computers have been hacked De Standaard and Het Nieuwsblad reported on Friday (9 September) that people who have fallen victims to hackers will be notified by the authorities. Up to half a million Belgian computers are estimated to be controlled by hackers who use them for cyber-attacks without the knowledge of the owners.
There are lists containing the identification of PC codes that have been hacked. When a site is attacked, the data from these computers are sometimes recorded. It also happens that when a network of hacked computers is dismantled, the police and the justice are notified. These data are exchanged internationally.
"We want to keep the current owners of these computers updated" said Miguel De Bruycker, Director of the Centre for Cybersecurity in Belgium (CCB).
"It’s more complex than it looks,” he added. “With the protection of privacy, we cannot simply look for the owner of the computer." The CCB therefore consults with the Commission for Protection of Privacy.
The procedure would be for the internet providers to obtain the IP addresses, warn their customers and then destroy the lists. The services concerned have an agreement in principle and a formal agreement is expected to follow soon. The first warnings should be dispatched by the end of the year.
The Brussels Times (Source: Belga)
