Romania’s critical water infrastructure faced a significant cybersecurity crisis when the National Administration “Romanian Waters” disclosed a ransomware attack on December 20, 2025, compromising approximately 1,000 IT systems across government water agencies nationwide.
The attack affected 10 of 11 regional water basin administrations, including facilities in Oradea, Cluj, Iași, Siret, and Buzău.
Affected systems encompassed Geographical Information System servers, database infrastructure, Windows workstations and servers, email and web platforms, and Domain Name Servers representing a comprehensive assault on the water authority’s digital backbone.
Sophisticated Attack Methods
The cybercriminals demonstrated advanced technical knowledge by exploiting Windows BitLocker, a legitimate encryption tool designed to protect data, for malicious encryption purposes.
The attackers encrypted files and locked systems before issuing a ransom demand with a seven-day response deadline.
However, Romanian cybersecurity authorities swiftly issued strong guidance against negotiating with threat actors.
Officials emphasized that ransom payments directly finance criminal operations and incentivize future attacks, establishing a firm no-negotiation stance.
Despite the extensive compromise, operational technologies remained untouched, enabling water management functions to continue uninterrupted.
Hydrotechnical structures operated safely using alternative communication methods, including telephone and radio systems.
Dispatching activities and flood defense operations proceeded without disruption, preventing potential public safety risks from emerging.
The National Directorate of Cyber Security, the National Cyberint Center, and the Romanian Intelligence Service launched coordinated investigation and remediation efforts.
Technical teams from affected entities implemented recovery operations while maintaining critical service delivery a challenging balance accomplished through comprehensive coordination and strategic resource allocation.
The incident revealed critical gaps in Romania’s infrastructure protection framework. The water authority’s systems had previously operated outside the national cyber defense system managed by the National Cyber Intelligence Center, a protection network designed for critical IT infrastructure.
Authorities acknowledged the vulnerability and initiated immediate steps to integrate water infrastructure into the national cybersecurity defense framework, leveraging advanced intelligent technologies.
This attack underscores escalating threats targeting essential services globally. Water utilities represent increasingly attractive targets for ransomware campaigns due to their operational importance, potential for service disruption, and strategic significance to national infrastructure.
The Romanian incident demonstrates that threat actors are employing increasingly sophisticated methods against government agencies that manage essential public services.
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