Moldovan PM says cybersecurity to stay priority for Moldova

Cybersecurity will stay a priority for Moldova, amid the boosting of hybrid attacks and threats to digital infrastructure. Prime Minister Vasile Tofan today made statements to this effect, noting that the authorities must invest in protecting information systems and citizens’ data.

The PM emphasized that cybersecurity would remain a priority for Moldova, as cyberattacks become increasingly complex, including due to the development of artificial intelligence, which makes it possible to identify vulnerabilities that might go unnoticed by humans.

“We are living in an era in which we are experiencing and will continue to experience more and more such incidents. This is a reality we cannot ignore. The processing capacity of artificial intelligence algorithms makes it possible to identify vulnerabilities in source code that could not be identified by humans. That is why, cyber defense will remain a priority,” Vasile Tofan said.

The prime minister said that, following the recent incident, the authorities had checked and monitored approximately 82 critical services. Some services were restored where possible, while others stay temporarily disconnected until the security problems are resolved.

Tofan emphasized that the authorities would continue investing in protecting information systems and citizens’ data, in order to prevent similar incidents.

“This is a matter of the highest priority for us, and we will continue to focus on protecting citizens’ data and preventing such incidents in the future. To achieve this, we must invest in our security, including cybersecurity,” the PM said.

Referring to the scale of the threats, Vasile Tofan cited European data showing that more than 8,000 cybersecurity incidents were recorded in the European Union, a significant number of which targeted the public sector. The report of the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), published on September 22, 2026, analyzes 8,257 incidents and identifies public administration as the most targeted sector.

The prime minister warned that Moldova had been the target of hybrid attacks for more years and that threats in cyberspace could intensify.

“Everyone understands that hybrid attacks did not begin today but a long time ago. We have been the target of these attacks for years, and we must be prepared for them to intensify, including in the cyber domain,” Vasile Tofan said.

Approximately 750,000 state identification numbers (IDNPs) may have been targeted in unauthorized data extractions following the cyberattack on the Moldovan government’s systems. According to preliminary investigations, during October 19-23, the attackers queried approximately one million IDNPs in an attempt to get personal data, the Information Technology and Cybersecurity Service said.