After CSDD incident, commentator urges audit of Latvia's critical state systems

Following a recent incident involving the database of Latvia's Road Traffic Safety Directorate (CSDD), commentator Otto Ozols raised concerns on the TV24 programme "Preses klubs" about the vulnerability of the country's critical systems to cyberattacks.

Ozols said it remains unclear who exactly is responsible for the breach, but the mere fact that a major state agency's database was compromised serves as a serious warning about the security of other systems.

Potential risks

The commentator warned that hacking into IT systems could theoretically endanger the entire aviation sector — from bringing down aircraft to paralysing airports and emergency services. He said similar threats could apply to the railway network, potentially causing train disasters, as well as to road infrastructure and telecommunications systems.

Call for an audit

Ozols expressed confidence that such attacks could be carried out by hackers with substantial resources and expertise, noting that Russia has enough specialists of this kind with significant funding. He therefore called for an audit of all institutions important to state security, involving independent NATO cybersecurity experts. The commentator stressed that this concerns a threat to the state's very existence and should be addressed seriously and systematically.