Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 May 2017
268. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department has had contact with the US authorities regarding a National Security Agency information technology hacking breach and its link to recent malware information technology attacks across the globe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23817/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe major cyber attack that occurred globally in recent days is unprecedented in terms of scale and speed of onset. Whereas ransomware attacks via malicious e-mail attachment have become commonplace, this newly discovered malware type, generally referred to as WannaCry2 possesses the ability to spread very rapidly from machine to machine without any user intervention. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) monitored the situation on Friday and over the weekend, and engaged with national and international stakeholders, coordinating the national response and informing Government of developments. The NCSC also issued a series of Advisory notices to Government Departments and Agencies over the weekend as this issue developed and more became known about the malware. The impact of this on Ireland was limited, but further variants are expected to be developed and there is a high risk that further incidents of this type will arise again in the future. The NCSC is conducting a review of the response to recent events, and I will bring any recommendations arising to Government in due course. The NCSC remains in close contact with international counterparts, including the authorities in the United States and with public and private sector entities in Ireland, particularly with regard to ensuring that the impact of any future variants of this malware are mitigated.
