Attempted cyberattack in the City Council of Vigo: early detection and lessons for the public sector

In recent days it has been known that the City Council of Vigo Have you activated reinforcement measures after detecting a Attempted cyberattack in the public sector, without a security breach or affecting municipal services. The case highlights a key aspect in corporate and public IT security: the difference between an incident detected in time and a crisis with real impact.

This article analyzes what is known about the attempted attack, why administrations are a recurring target and what strategic lessons this episode leaves for public and private organizations.

‍

What is known about the attempted cyberattack?

According to recently published information, the Council of Vigo detected Anomalous activity compatible with an attempted computer attack against their systems.

The key points reported are:

• Not confirmed Unauthorized access to the systems.
• There are no indications of Data Exfiltration.
• Municipal services They Were Not Interrupted.
• They were activated Additional Preventive Measures and reinforcement of security.

This type of communication is relevant: we don't talk about a security breach, but about Detection and Containment, which indicates the existence of monitoring and response mechanisms.

‍

Why the public sector is a regular target

Public administrations have become a priority target for attackers for several reasons:

1. They Manage Large volumes of personal and sensitive data.
2. They operate essential services for citizens.
3. They live with heterogeneous and, at times, inherited infrastructures.
4. They are subject to demanding regulatory frameworks, amplifying reputational and legal impact.

A computer attack against an administration does not seek only technical damage. In many cases, the goal is to generate Operational Impact, Institutional Pressure or Loss of Trust.

‍

How do these types of attacks occur

Although each case has its peculiarities, attempts to attack public bodies are usually based on known patterns:

• Phishing campaigns aimed at public employees.
• Use of compromised credentials.
• Exploitation of services exposed to the Internet.
• Massive scans for unpatched vulnerabilities.
• Automated attacks that test thousands of combinations in a short time.

Most of these attacks are not sophisticated in their origin. What makes the difference is the Early Detection Capacity and the coordinated reaction.

‍

Key lessons for companies and administrations

The case of Vigo leaves several clear lessons that apply beyond the public sector:

• Detecting is as important as protecting: Without continuous monitoring, an attempted attack can turn into a security breach.
• The difference between incident and crisis is reaction time.
• Not All Attacks End in Impact, but they all need to be analyzed.
• Communicate with rigor avoids alarmism and reinforces trust.

These types of episodes show that cybersecurity is not just about avoiding attacks, but about Managing Risk Maturely.

‍

Cybersecurity as a strategic priority

Detecting and containing an attempted cyberattack is the result of previous strategic decisions: investment, governance, procedures and clear accountability.

In a context marked by ENS, NIS2 and increasing regulatory pressure, IT security can no longer be treated as a purely technical issue. It's a Management and Business Decision, also in the public sphere.

In Apolo Cybersecurity we help organizations and administrations to strengthen their prevention, detection and response capacity through services such as CISO as a Service, 24/7 SOC, risk analysis and continuity plans. Because the difference between a warning and a crisis is often in what was done before the incident.