Effort continues to restore damage to government IT servers

Officials are working continuously to restore the damage to servers of the Department of Information Technology Services, which provide access to the internet for government websites, stated Government Spokesman Κonstantinos Letymbiotis on Tuesday, adding that "we hope and expect the restoration of the damage to be done as soon as possible."

He also said that digital transformation is not only about the services provided but also about the protection of this information, whether it concerns physical damage or digital security, emphasizing that these are issues that the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, as well as the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Philippos Hadjizacharias, place high on their priorities.

Responding to questions, Letymbiotis said that the investigation underway is to examine the reasons why the servers were not relocated to CYTA, as it was decided by the Council of Ministers in November 2022, and "if these reasons exist today, to see how they can be overcome or addressed so that the decision, which seems to have been necessary to ensure the services provided, can be implemented."

The investigation also concerns whether the necessary protection measures against floods or fire were taken at the site where the servers are currently located. 

The Spokesman said that in the early hours of Tuesday, the call centres were restored and now work is underway to dry the servers and the room where they are located, with dehumidifiers and other machines, and to make an initial assessment of the extent of the damage.

"Alternatives are being considered as to whether other machines can be obtained to operate in parallel. The positive thing is that the first update we have from the authorities is that data has not been lost, so once the servers are restored, the government's websites and email systems can gradually start functioning. At the same time the process to relocate the server to CYTA is underway by the responsible Deputy Minister" he noted.

Letymbiotis said President Nikos Christodoulides asked to be informed on the matter when it occurred on Monday night and he is in continued communication with the relevant minister.

Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Philippos Hadjizacharias visited the site on Tuesday morning and was informed on developments while meetings are taking place on the reasons as to why the November 2022 decision was not implemented.

Responding to questions, Letymbiotis said that the whole issue "concerns us, especially in our time when digital services are not taken for granted."

He added that digital transformation is something that the President of the Republic places high on his priorities and is part of his government's programme. "The Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy's first actions and immediate priorities are underway so that we can provide more services digitally and ensure the security and integrity of information", he added.

Letymbiotis added that digital transformation is not just about the services provided, but also the protection of information, whether it concerns physical damages or digital security. "These are issues that both the President of the Republic and the Deputy Minister of Research place high on their priorities", he said.