LALIGABA website hacked; organizers deny data leak
The website of Latvia's Annual Literature Award LALIGABA was hacked, but organizers claim no data was compromised and the breach did not affect the award process.
The website of the Latvian Literature Annual Award (LALIGABA) suffered a cyberattack on the evening of Friday, July 3. Visitors saw the message "Hacked by trenggalek6etar" when opening the site. Organizers emphasize that the attack was not directly aimed at the award but at the platform hosting the website.
Eva Eglāja-Kristsone, director of the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art at the University of Latvia, said outdated updates on the platform, which the organizers do not maintain themselves, likely allowed the breach. She stated there is no evidence of data leakage or compromise of sensitive information. All data on the site—nominee profiles, book annotations, and expert reviews—is intended for public use. The data remains intact and nothing is missing.
The incident does not affect LALIGABA's work or planned activities, as preparations for the next award cycle are underway. Anyone needing access to the website's information can contact the organizers. The site is expected to be restored soon.
Organizers have notified Latvia's cybersecurity incident response institution "Cert.lv" but did not contact the State Police, as they believe the attack targeted the platform rather than sensitive data. Future security improvements will primarily depend on the platform maintainers.
LALIGABA is the most significant annual event in Latvia's literature sector, providing professional evaluation and recognition for outstanding works. It is organized by the University of Latvia's Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art, the International Writers' and Translators' House, and the Latvian Writers' Union.
