Translink and Housing Executive reassure customers after cyber-attack

The attack exploited a piece of software commonly used on government websites to assist the blind or partially sighted, known as ‘Browsealoud’.

The two Northern Ireland-based agencies are amongst a host of government bodies using the ‘browsealoud’ plugin which fell victim to the hack on Sunday.

Security researcher Scott Helme, writing on his blog earlier this week, explained that the attackers had managed to add something known as a ‘cryptocurrency’ mining program to the Browsealoud service.

The program works by utlising a PC, laptop or smartphone’s processing power to generate a form of virtual cash, known as ‘cryptocurrency’, which can then be used to pay for services online or exchanged for real cash.

The most well known and valuable form of cryptocurrency, bitcoin, is worth over $8,000 for each ‘coin’.

In this case, the attackers sought to generate a rival form of virtual currency known as ‘monero’, which is worth over $200 for each ‘coin’.

Other sites to fall victim to the attack included the Information Commissioner’s website, which was down for several hours on Sunday, several NHS websites, and the Student Loans Company site.

A Translink spokesperson said: “Browsealoud was disabled automatically on Sunday, February 11. Texthelp, the platform owner, has assured us that no customer data was accessed or lost through Browsealoud.”

An NIHE spokesperson told the News Letter yesterday they had been given a similar assurance by the firm.