Reports on cyber-attacks on public sector offices expected within days

Reports on the cyber-attacks which hit the land registry, the University of Cyprus, and the Open University of Cyprus are expected to be completed within days, Data Protection Commissioner Irene Loizidou said on Friday.

Loizidou was speaking to the House finance committee about her office’s budget and told MPs her office needs further funding “so we can respond to additional responsibilities and duties”.

She pointed out that her office’s budget has “minimal changes” from last year’s, with only an extra €5,000 for staff training requested.

Disy MP Harris Georgiades described the budget put forth as “small, simple, and understandable”, but said “it certainly does not correspond to the importance of the role being performed.”

Akel MP Andreas Kavkalias concurred with Georgiades, saying “sometimes the executive forgets the commissioner’s office exists, and sometimes bills are submitted to parliament without the commissioner being consulted.”

Loizidou defended the government, saying “there are some cases where consultation is not carried out, perhaps due to haste or omission, but this is known by both the legislature and the executive. There have been 59 consultations in 2023 so far.”

Kavkalias also asked Loizidou about the high staff turnover at the commission, and Loizidou said only six of the staff present at the commission in 2019 are still present.

Diko MP Chrysis Pantelides asked Loizidou for her “position on the issue of cameras”.

Dipa MP Alekos Tryfonides requested more details regarding the cyber-attacks, asking whether the data lost in the attacks had been recovered. Loizidou said that this information would be announced next week.