Yuval Steinitz, Israel’s energy minister, has said the country’s energy ministry has begun to collaborate with the Israel National Cyber Bureau to address a “severe cyber attack” discovered Monday on the country’s electricity authority, The Times of Israel reported Tuesday.
Steinitz told Cybertech Conference attendees in Tel Aviv, Israel, that his agency has already identified the virus and is now prepared to deploy the software that will work to neutralize the bug on computer networks.
“We are handling the situation and I hope that soon, this very serious event will be over… but as of now, computer systems are still not working as they should,” he said at the conference.
“This is a fresh example of the sensitivity of infrastructure to cyberattacks, and the importance of preparing ourselves in order to defend ourselves against such attacks.”
Steinitz did not mention whether suspects linked to the cyber attack have already been identified, the report said.
The cyber incident occurred six months after Israel’s National Cyber Authority issued a warning of an extensive cyber attack in the country.
