Ministry of Science - The Cyber Security Incident Database (CSIDB)

Profile

Primary URL: www[.]ciencia[.]gob[.]es
Location: Spain
Sector: Government - National
Known incidents: 1 incident
Updated: 2026-09-13 09:26
Aliases: 2 aliases

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Profile narrative

The Ministry of Science of Spain is the government department responsible for defining and implementing national policy on scientific research, technological development and innovation. It oversees the allocation of public funds for research programmes, coordinates with national research agencies and universities, and promotes collaboration between the public and private sectors. The ministry also supports the training and career development of scientists and researchers through various fellowship and grant schemes. In addition, it monitors compliance with national and European regulations concerning research integrity, data protection and intellectual property. Its activities span all scientific disciplines, from basic sciences to applied engineering and social sciences. The ministry’s remit includes fostering scientific culture and disseminating knowledge to the wider public.

As a ministerial body, the Ministry of Science operates under the authority of the Spanish Government and reports directly to the President of the Government (Prime Minister). It is not a private enterprise but a public administration entity, forming part of the central administration’s sectoral ministries. The ministry’s headquarters are located in Spain, reflecting its national scope and responsibility for science policy across the country’s autonomous communities. While specific figures on staff size or budget are not disclosed in the available sources, the ministry’s organisational structure includes directorates-general for research, innovation and scientific policy. The incident on 6 February 2026, when the ministry partially shut down its IT systems following claims of a cyberattack, illustrates its reliance on digital infrastructure for internal operations and service delivery. The ministry characterised the disruption as a technical incident and noted that the partial shutdown affected internal workflows and limited access to certain online services.

Incidents

1 incident linked to this organisation.