The state of Carinthia is in trouble after the hacker attack. Anexia boss Windbichler is an expert; he has 350,000 attacks daily. A talk about the IT mafia, unreported numbers, ransom…
After the hacker attack, the state of Carinthia still faces enormous problems in restoring the mail system and databases. One of the most sought-after IT experts is based in Klagenfurt: Alexander Windbichler has 90 locations worldwide with “Anexia” and takes care of 100,000 customers from Vienna to New York. “We get 250,000 to 350,000 hacker attacks a day. Millions of email addresses are available for this. There is practically a constant war on the internet,” he explains: “People take care of the systems in companies, and that’s where mistakes are made. A hacker attack is the worst possible scenario. I wouldn’t wish it on an enemy.”
Russia is a stronghold for hackers
Before an attack, the hacker groups work in the computer disks for weeks, exhausting the system. “By the way, the number of unreported ransom demands is high,” Windbichler said. “After a payment you will be decrypted, but you have to reset the entire system. A company must ensure that it is no longer vulnerable.”
Many hackers are individuals, “some are made up of hundreds of people. They are especially at home in Russia and are considered the dreaded IT mafia. Data backup therefore has the highest priority worldwide.”
Perfect time to attack
The current time before the hacker attack was the worst for the victim, the state of Carinthia. Because a holiday falls on a weekday, all payouts must be calculated at the end of the month. “The fact that the five million euro ransom was demanded in cryptocurrency is common in the industry. Besides, if you paid, it wouldn’t mean much. Because the question is: how much data has already been extracted from the data system? This is crucial. There are companies on the dark web, every email and company outing is listed. A nightmare.”
Windbichler knows it too: “Any normal consumer can download hacker tips from the dark web for $2,500. You can do a lot of damage with little money.”
Lack of security
Hardly any user changes the password. The 35-year-old recommends two-factor authentication. This is a security procedure where a user provides two tokens to identify themselves.
The country is working around the clock to fix it. “Emails and civilian services should be working again by mid-week at the latest,” said spokesman Gerd Kurath.
There has long been European regulation on how to protect yourself against hacker attacks. All federal states participated, Carinthia and Styria did not…
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
