Cyber attack on the federal government shortly before the security zone comes into force
Published: Thursday, Jun 13th 2024, 16:20
Volver a Live Feed
Just before the security measures for the Ukraine peace conference in Nidwalden were ramped up, the Confederation was attacked in cyberspace. Overload attacks led to minor outages on the Confederation's websites on Thursday morning.
The attacks were within the expected range, according to the Federal Office for Cybersecurity (Bacs). There was no acute threat.
In addition to the federal government's websites, organizations involved in the summit were also affected by the attacks. However, according to Bacs, the outages were within the specified tolerance. The operation of the affected units was therefore not significantly affected.
Further attacks expected
Overload attacks, known as DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks, target the availability of websites. In these attacks, computer systems are overloaded by a large number of requests.
Switzerland expected an increase in cyber attacks in the run-up to the Ukraine peace conference at the weekend. In the second half of the week in particular, the Confederation expected disruptive maneuvers to hinder the summit.
Restricted zone comes into force
Strict access controls have been in place around the Bürgenstock since Thursday lunchtime due to the Ukraine peace conference at the weekend, and a restricted zone has come into force. Only people with the appropriate permits are allowed to stay and move around in this area.
Around 430 residents are affected by the exclusion zone. They have had to register with the police and receive a special ID card, which they must present at the checkpoint. All vehicles also had to be registered.
Strict access and entry controls are in place to ensure the safety of conference participants. Around 90 delegations have registered for the conference on June 15 and 16. The exclusion zone will remain in place until 6 p.m. on Monday at the latest.
Activities restricted
Despite the badges, the activities of the residents of Bürgenstock are restricted. The authorities recommend staying within the restricted area only on paved roads and paths and postponing non-urgent appointments. Biking, jogging and hiking are prohibited.
There are also restrictions on swimming in Lake Lucerne. Flying is also prohibited 46 kilometers around the Bürgenstock. This means that paragliding is also prohibited.
The larger towns of Stansstad and Ennetbürgen are not part of the exclusion zone. However, the stay of several dozen heads of state and government on the nearby Bürgenstock will also be noticeable there in the form of road closures, for example for the arrival and departure of convoys. Road closures can also be expected on the main roads in the canton of Lucerne from Friday.
©Keystone/SDA
Spanish 
English 
German 
French 
Arabic