Cyber Incident Victim: Magyar Telekom
Date:
Sep 2020
Location:
Hungary
Summary
A large-scale distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attack originating from servers in Russia, China, and Vietnam targeted Hungarian financial institutions and telecommunications infrastructure, briefly disrupting banking services and causing localized service lapses in Budapest. The attack involved data traffic volumes ten times higher than typical DDoS incidents, making it one of the most significant cyber attacks in Hungary's history. Magyar Telekom, whose networks were overwhelmed alongside banking systems, successfully repelled the multi-wave assault in collaboration with affected institutions, restoring normal operations by the afternoon of the incident day.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On September 24, 2020, Magyar Telekom disclosed that a significant cyber attack had disrupted Hungarian banking and telecommunications services two days earlier, on Thursday. The incident involved a distributed-denation-of-service (DDoS) attack originating from computer servers in Russia, China, and Vietnam, with hackers targeting both financial institutions and Magyar Telekom’s infrastructure. Attackers flooded networks with data traffic volumes 10 times higher than typical DDoS events, which Magyar Telekom characterized as one of the largest and most complex cyber attacks in Hungary’s history. The assault occurred in multiple waves, temporarily overwhelming systems and causing service disruptions. Specific impacts included lapses in Magyar Telekom’s services in certain areas of Budapest and disruptions to banking operations, though the company did not specify the exact duration or full scope of affected regions beyond the capital.
Magyar Telekom and OTP Bank, Hungary’s largest bank, confirmed they jointly repelled the attack. OTP Bank acknowledged that the DDoS targeted telecom systems supporting some of its banking services, resulting in brief interruptions that were fully resolved by Thursday afternoon. No data breaches or long-term operational damage were reported. The attackers’ primary objective appeared to be service disruption rather than data theft or persistent network infiltration. Magyar Telekom’s statement emphasized the attack’s technical scale but did not detail specific defensive measures beyond neutralizing the threat. No other Hungarian institutions or additional consequences were cited in the disclosure.