Portuguese councils and hospitals are among 29 public bodies identified as using outdated website software, amid an international security alert over flaws that could allow hackers to take control of vulnerable servers.
The findings, reported by Expresso and cited by SOL, emerged as organisations scrambled to fix two critical weaknesses in PHP — software that works behind the scenes to run websites and online services.
The flaws could allow attackers to run their own code on affected servers without logging in, potentially exposing information or compromising services. PHP’s developers released security updates on Wednesday and urged users to install them immediately.
In Portugal, cybersecurity consultancy Cybers3C examined 223 websites belonging to public bodies and services.
Its chief executive, Sérgio Monteiro e Silva, told Expresso that 29 organisations, including councils and hospitals, were using versions no longer supported. One state body’s website even indicated that it was running a version dating from 2006.
The organisations were not named. The findings flag a security risk; they do not establish that those bodies have been hacked.
According to the report, some Portuguese websites were temporarily taken offline on Wednesday as a precaution. Organisations began updating their systems after fixes became available that afternoon.
However, checks at around 8.30pm still found sites awaiting updates. A further review today continued to identify 29 public bodies using unsupported versions, although Monteiro e Silva said some councils and services had acted quickly to address vulnerabilities.
What is the danger?
PHP helps websites process requests and deliver services. A flaw in this underlying software can therefore create a route into a server, even where the website itself appears to work normally.
Both vulnerabilities received a severity rating of 9.2 out of 10. The developers warn that updating is the only complete solution; temporary protective measures do not make affected installations safe.
Portugal’s National Cybersecurity Centre has advised organisations to identify all PHP installations, prioritise systems accessible through the internet and check with hosting companies and software suppliers for security updates, according to SOL.
Where there are signs of intrusion, its recommendations include isolating the server, preserving technical records and checking for suspicious files or newly created accounts.
The alert has also prompted precautionary shutdowns of public service websites elsewhere in Europe, including Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium, SOL reports.
For Portuguese organisations running older systems, fixing the problem may require more than a routine update: PHP’s developers advise checking whether suppliers provide security fixes for older versions or moving to a supported release.
Source: SOL
Natasha Donn
Journalist for the Portugal Resident.