The computer system of the State Public Employment Service () has received a ‘cyber attack’ that is preventing access to its website, as confirmed by sources from the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy.
The same sources have indicated that a team of technicians and experts is already working so that the SEPE computer system can recover its normal activity, also enabling the 060 hotline so that information about this incident can be received.
The Ministry of Labor has lamented the inconvenience caused to SEPE users due to this ‘cyber attack’ while the president of the organization, Gerardo Gutiérrez, has assured Cadena Ser that no confidential data will be compromised.
CSIF, for its part, has indicated that the entire SEPE computer system, both the workstation computers and the laptops of the staff that is teleworking, has been affected by a ‘ransomware’ virus.
Ransomware is a malicious software program that has the ability to encrypt files and lock computers with the idea of obtaining money in exchange for returning the system to normal operation. Thus, the ‘cyber attackers’ who use this ‘malware’ seek to obtain a ransom.
The union has lamented the disruption that this computer attack is causing and has pointed out that user requests are being filled out manually and phone numbers are being taken in case additional contact is needed.
“At CSIF we express concern about this ruling, which is added to all the problems that SEPE has been dragging, both in terms of human resources and material resources. We have been asking for a determined support in technological investment for months, since the applications and computer systems have an average seniority of about 30 years,” the union has denounced.
For reasons beyond , the website and the electronic headquarters of are not available. You will be notified when they are operational again. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused.
— SEPE (@empleo_SEPE)
It will not affect the payment of benefits
The SEPE has among its functions the management of unemployment benefits and having to process the benefits of the Temporary Employment Regulation Files (Erte). As confirmed by the director of SEPE, benefits will continue to be paid normally.
According to the latest data available for January 2021, total spending on unemployment benefits amounted to 2,629.5 million euros, which represents an increase of 40.8% compared to the same month of the previous year. Of this figure, 694 million corresponded to Erte benefits. At the end of the month there were 2,376,847 recipients of unemployment benefits.
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