Hackers exploited BitLocker in ransomware attack on Romania's water agency

Around 1,000 systems were taken offline across the country

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What just happened? A ransomware attack has disrupted Romania's National Administration Apele Române, the government agency responsible for managing the country's water resources. The incident, which began over the weekend, disabled roughly 1,000 computers across 10 of the authority's 11 regional offices and interrupted access to vital digital systems, including email, databases, websites, and Geographic Information Systems.

Authorities confirmed that operational control of the nation's water infrastructure remains intact. According to official statements, water management activities are being maintained "within normal parameters, through dispatches and voice communications," an indication that operators have reverted to manual coordination while digital services remain offline.

No group has claimed responsibility for the intrusion. Investigators reported that the attackers left a message giving the agency seven days to establish contact – an approach typical of ransomware operations seeking to negotiate payment or demonstrate leverage.

The National Directorate for Cyber Security (DNSC) said that the infection vector – the initial method used to breach the network – has not yet been identified. Forensic analysis showed that the attackers used Microsoft's own BitLocker encryption tool to lock access to system drives, rather than deploying a custom or third-party encryption program.

BitLocker is a legitimate feature within Windows designed for data protection, but it can be exploited in such attacks when administrators lose control over recovery keys or privileges.

Bucharest, Romania

The DNSC and Romania's domestic intelligence service are conducting a joint investigation to determine the origin of the attack and restore critical systems. At this stage, officials have released no technical details about how the malware spread or whether privileged credentials were compromised.

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While Romania's water systems avoided direct operational damage, recent European cases show the potential physical impact of cyber intrusions on infrastructure. In 2024, Denmark suffered burst pipes and temporary water outages in the town of Køge after hackers manipulated water pressure controls. That attack was attributed to the pro-Russian group Z-Pentest.

A year later, Danish election websites faced distributed denial-of-service attacks linked to NoName057(16), another pro-Russian organization.

Earlier in December, Germany also summoned Russia's ambassador following cyber incidents that targeted election systems and air traffic control networks. Some European governments have described this pattern of activity as part of a hybrid war, seeing the steady escalation of digital attacks on critical infrastructure as a complement to geopolitical pressure.

Security professionals often note that cybersecurity investment in utility and infrastructure environments tends to lag behind other IT priorities. Systems administrators frequently face the challenge of balancing protection and continuity, and mitigation measures are sometimes strengthened only after a significant breach.

Whether the Romanian incident fits into a coordinated campaign remains an open question, but its timing and method mirror a broader rise in state-linked or opportunistic attacks on essential systems. The DNSC has not indicated when complete digital restoration might occur, leaving most functions dependent on manual operations as the investigation continues.