Trojan attack shut down financial services watchdog for six hours

A malicious computer programme, known as a trojan attack, infiltrated the IT system of the Malta Financial Services Authority leaving it in the dark for six hours, Finance Minister Edward Scicluna confirmed.

In reply to a parliamentary question raised by backbencher Joe Farrugia, Scicluna confirmed that the cyber attack led to a six-hour cancellation of services at the MFSA on May 18.

An online customer had notified MFSA at 10.07am that he could not access the online services. The authority’s IT Unit was notified immediately and – having determined that the system was under a trojan attack – after 30 minutes ordered that all MFSA staff close any open documents.

Speaking in parliament, the Minister said that the unit then proceeded to isolate some systems while the entire IT system at MFSA was being scanned until the PC on which the trojan had originated was identified.

Backup files were restored and the system went back online at 4.15pm.

Scicluna said that the procedures followed by MFSA staff were in line with the MFSA’s laid-out emergency procedures.

He confirmed the authority deployed sophisticated anti-virus software across its IT system. MFSA was currently in contact with its providers to determine how the trojan made it past its safeguards and to ensure that it would not suffer another such attack.