Moldova’s Information Technology and Cyber Security Service reported on Sept. 28 that it had blocked a series of cyberattacks targeting the country’s election infrastructure as the nation heads into a pivotal parliamentary election that could shape its future.
The targets of the cyberattacks included Moldova’s Central Electoral Commission website, government cloud service systems and process automation systems, as well as some voting stations abroad, according to the Information Technology and Cyber Security Service.
Among the reported incidents were distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, including one orchestrated simultaneously from multiple countries, with over 16 million generated sessions designed to simulate real traffic and bypass protection systems.
“All attacks were detected and neutralized in real time without affecting the availability or integrity of electoral services,” Moldova’s Information Technology and Cyber Security Service said.
Moldovans, both at home and abroad, are heading to the polls in critical parliamentary elections on Sept. 28 that could determine whether the country continues to move toward its path of EU integration, as envisioned by President Maia Sandu’s party, or pivots back to Moscow.
“Moldova, our beloved home, is in danger and needs the help of each of you. You can save it today with your vote — tomorrow it might be too late,” Sandu said after casting her vote on Sept. 28, urging Moldovan citizens to go out and vote.
“Let’s show the world that the Republic of Moldova is not only a small country with a big heart, but also a country of dignified people, people who do not sell their country. Let’s not allow thieves and traitors to sell our future.”
On the eve of the election, Moldovan authorities barred the pro-Kremlin Greater Moldova (Moldova Mare) party from participating, citing suspicions of illegal financing, officials said on Sept. 27.
A day earlier, the country’s Central Electoral Commission had suspended the Heart of Moldova party, one of four factions in the Russia-aligned Patriotic Bloc, which had been positioning itself to challenge Sandu’s ruling pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS).
Citing documents it had seen, Bloomberg reported on Sept. 22 that Moscow has devised a plan to interfere in Moldova’s parliamentary elections and hinder the country’s bid for EU membership. In a separate investigation published Sept. 21, the BBC said a covert, Russia-funded network was working to influence the outcome of the vote.
Russia has exercized control over Moldova’s Transnistrian region, where it stations some of its own troops, since the Transnistrian War ended in 1992 with a Russian-backed victory and a ceasefire.
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