The Department of Justice and Democratic Quality reported this Wednesday that it has detected unauthorized access to “shared documentation located on network drives,” from the Puig de les Basses Penitentiary Center in Figueres (Alt Empordà). Although they have not detailed when the cyberattack on the center’s computer network occurred, they have assured that an investigation has been opened that has allowed the identification of the alleged perpetrators. They have confirmed that the Catalonia Cybersecurity Agency is conducting a thorough analysis to determine possible impacts and that “no access has been made to critical penitentiary information systems nor has the operation of the center’s services been compromised.”
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The incident, according to Justice, was detected by the penitentiary center’s officials – although it also does not specify when – and allowed the immediate activation of the corresponding security measures and correction of the incident. Additionally, an investigation was opened to clarify the facts and contact was made with the Catalonia Cybersecurity Agency, which is carrying out a thorough technical analysis to determine how this access occurred and the possible impacts derived from the events. The investigation revealed that the alleged responsible for this unauthorized access were inmates of the penitentiary center, “who have already been identified.”
Meanwhile, Catalan prisons are strengthening security measures to prevent similar incidents and continue guaranteeing the protection of systems and information. This Wednesday morning, the Director General of Penitentiary Affairs, Domingo Estepa, held an extraordinary meeting with representatives of the representative trade unions in the penitentiary field to inform them of the incident and explain the measures adopted by the Department.
Justice has reported the facts to the Figueres Court of Instruction on duty and has also notified the Catalan Data Protection Authority of the cyberattack. The cybercrime unit of the Criminal Investigation Division (DIC) of the Mossos d’Esquadra has been involved.
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Sources close to the case told EL PAÍS that the inmates who accessed the system, two inmates who are not in the penitentiary center for cybercrimes, managed to breach the system’s security on Sunday afternoon. Or in any case, that was when it was detected, because the machines through which they managed to enter the system, touch screens used for, among other things, video calls, have been operating for just over a year.
For its part, UGT demands that all penitentiary center workers be informed of the facts, that it be fully confirmed that there has been no access to the identity and personal data of the staff, that the real scope of the security breach be investigated, and that responsibilities be determined.
Puig de les Basses has about 900 inmates, although the ideal number, according to the staffing size, would be 750.
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