More than 50 Colombian state, private entities hit by cyberattack -Petro

(Reuters) -  More than 50 Colombian state entities and private companies were hit by a cyber attack last week, Colombian President Gustavo Petro told journalists in New York. 

 

Internet service provider IFX Networks last week reported it was the victim of a ransomware attack, which saw dozens of Colombian organizations affected. 

 

Without naming the company, Petro said the wider impact of the attack showed IFX Networks did not have the right "cybersecurity measures" in place and put the company in breach of its contracts. 

 

Earlier on Monday, Colombia’s Minister for Information, Technology and Communications Mauricio Lizcano said on messaging platform X that he had ordered administrative actions to be launched against IFX Networks.

 

"We are coordinating ... a civil lawsuit and possibly a criminal case (against the company)," Lizcano said. 

 

IFX Networks understands the complexity of the incident and the problems it has caused for affected clients, the company said in a statement on its website. 

 

"Thanks to the swift detection and action of our team, we were able to limit the potential reach of the attack 

and considerably contain the number of affected systems," the statement said. 

 

(Reporting by Oliver Griffin; editing by Timothy Gardner)