Critical website vulnerabilities: what measures Kazakhstan has taken
Tengrinews.kz — Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development has explained what measures were taken in the country following reports of critical vulnerabilities threatening the security of websites around the world.
Earlier, foreign media reported the discovery of critical vulnerabilities in PHP software, which is widely used to operate websites. Due to the risk of cyberattacks, several European countries temporarily restricted access to government websites and online services.
Note: PHP is a programming language used to create and operate websites. It allows websites to process user requests, interact with databases and generate web pages. PHP is used by online stores, news websites and various online services, among others.
The vulnerabilities could potentially allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to servers and the information stored on them.
Tengrinews.kz sent an official inquiry to the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development to determine whether the situation had affected Kazakhstan’s government websites, including the online resources of ministries and akimats.
The ministry said the State Technical Service (KZ-CERT) promptly prepared information security recommendations outlining measures to address the identified vulnerabilities.
“The Information Security Committee of the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development promptly notified the owners and operators of digital infrastructure through official communication channels, recommending that they apply security updates in a timely manner and take the necessary protective measures,” the ministry said in its response.
The ministry stressed that the necessary preventive measures were taken in a timely manner. Their purpose is to prevent possible cyber incidents and reduce the risk of unauthorized access to information systems.
Was the eGov portal affected
The ministry separately commented on the security of the eGov.kz electronic government portal.
“The vulnerabilities referred to in the inquiry do not affect the operation of the eGov.kz portal. At present, the portal and its components are operating normally. There is no reason for users to be concerned in connection with this situation,” the ministry said.
However, the ministry’s response did not specify whether vulnerabilities had been detected on the websites of individual government agencies in Kazakhstan or whether any attempts to exploit them had been recorded.
Earlier, it was reported that major cryptocurrency exchange Binance had been hit by a large-scale cyberattack. According to preliminary information from the company, attackers may have gained access to the system through a compromised laptop belonging to one of its engineers. The estimated damage is $6.3 billion. The exchange temporarily suspended deposits and withdrawals and pledged to compensate users for their losses.