Prime Minister Vasile Tofan visited the Electronic Governance Agency (AGE) on Friday, October 30, where Nicoleta Colomeeț formally handed over the institution’s leadership to Artiom Cociu. The change comes after a cyberattack in which personal data belonging to approximately 750,000 citizens was extracted.
Representatives of the Information Technology and Cyber Security Service (STISC), the Cybersecurity Agency (ASC), the Public Services Agency (ASP) and other institutions responsible for the country’s digital infrastructure also attended the meeting.
The Prime Minister said the authorities’ immediate priority is to address security issues, eliminate vulnerabilities and restore services under safe conditions. According to him, responsibility for the incident will be established separately, while institutions must now focus their efforts on protecting systems and preventing further attacks.
“We have lost people’s trust, and now we must rebuild it,” Vasile Tofan said. He thanked the teams that had worked over the past few days to keep systems operational and restore services.
The head of government also stressed the need to change how the country’s digital infrastructure is managed, including by establishing clearer responsibilities, strengthening security architecture and gaining access to modern technologies.
Tofan noted that cyberattacks are already using artificial intelligence and said institutions must develop their capabilities to respond to these threats.
The cyberattack took place between October 19 and 23, resulting in the unauthorised extraction of personal data belonging to approximately 750,000 citizens. Hackers reportedly targeted around one million personal identification numbers (IDNPs).
The stolen information includes identification details, information about relatives and assets, social benefits and certain financial data.
Following the incident, Nicoleta Colomeeț announced her resignation, and Artiom Cociu was appointed interim head of the Electronic Governance Agency.
The case will also be examined by Parliament. Members of the Committee on National Security, Defence and Public Order will hold hearings to clarify the circumstances surrounding the data breach. The hearings are scheduled for November 4 and will take place behind closed doors.