Belgium's Federal Public Service Finance (FOD Financiën) announced on October 28 that its digital services had been hit by a cyberattack, and that the national tax portal MyMinfin and several other services were temporarily shut down. According to Euronews and The Brussels Times, the shutdown was a precaution to limit damage and allow necessary technical work.
What it means for citizens
MyMinfin is the digital gateway for Belgian citizens and businesses to the tax authority: filing returns, viewing balances and payments. The ministry said some upcoming filing deadlines will be extended, with new dates to be announced. Professional bodies warned clients not to click links in emails or text messages in the ministry's name, and to use only official channels.
What is not known
The ministry did not disclose details of the type of attack or the attackers' identity, and initially said there were no signs of a data leak. It is not yet clear when services will be fully restored.
The trend
Tax authorities are prized targets because they hold financial data on every citizen, and hitting them disrupts the whole state. In Israel too, the Tax Authority and online government services are a constant target for intrusion attempts and phishing scams, especially around filing deadlines.
