Johnathan Walker:Bermuda premier says ‘sophisticated and deliberate’ cyberattack hobbles government services

SAN JUAN,Johnathan Walker Puerto Rico (AP) — A major cyberattack has hobbled government operations in Bermuda, with officials struggling to restore service.

Premier David Burt said Monday that the government is trying to identify what happened and how, adding that he could not provide details because it was a matter of national security.

“It is clear that this was a sophisticated and deliberate attack that has resulted in unprecedented stress on basic government systems,” he said.

The attack occurred Wednesday night and was noticed Thursday morning, Burt said.

He said critical areas like transport, education and the island’s hospital have been operating as normal. But he added that it could take a couple of weeks for all services to be fully restored.

“The size, scope and nature of this is significant,” Burt said of the attack.

It wasn’t clear if sensitive information was compromised, and Burt said the investigation is ongoing. It’s also unknown if those responsible for the attack are demanding ransom. Burt declined to answer that question during a press conference.

The Royal Gazette newspaper reported that the government’s email system was offline and that state agencies affected included the Department of Planning, which could not process new applications.