Romania’s Ministry of Energy is establishing a **Cybersecurity Incident Response Center in Energy (CSIRT)** in response to escalating cyber threats targeting the national energy sector. The initiative is driven by the liberalization of the energy market, geopolitical tensions (notably Russia’s war in Ukraine), and the risk of **multi-pronged cyberattacks** that could disrupt critical infrastructure, trigger panic, and destabilize energy prices. The ministry warns that without this center, cyberattacks could inflict **significant damage** on energy systems, with cascading effects on regional security—given Romania’s role as an electricity supplier to Moldova and Ukraine. The urgency stems from the potential for **large-scale attacks on national infrastructure**, including energy grids, which could paralyze services, harm civilian trust, and even threaten **strategic alliances**. The center will focus on **real-time monitoring, incident response, and forensic analysis** to mitigate risks. Failure to secure the sector could lead to **systemic failures**, financial losses, and geopolitical repercussions, given Romania’s position as a **regional security provider**. The ministry is investing in high-level cybersecurity talent (with salaries up to **€20,000**) to counter advanced threats, signaling the severity of the risk.
Source: https://www.romania-insider.com/romania-cybersecurity-incident-response-center-energy-2025
TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/ministry-of-energy-&-natural-resources
"id": "min621081925",
"linkid": "ministry-of-energy-&-natural-resources",
"type": "Cyber Attack",
"date": "8/2025",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "6",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the economy of geographical region"{'affected_entities': [{'industry': 'Energy/Public Sector',
'location': 'Romania',
'name': 'Romania’s Ministry of Energy',
'type': 'Government Ministry'},
{'customers_affected': ['Households',
'Businesses',
'Regional partners (Moldova, '
'Ukraine)'],
'industry': 'Energy',
'location': 'Romania',
'name': 'Romanian Energy Sector (broad)',
'type': ['Public Utilities',
'Private Energy Companies',
'Critical Infrastructure Operators']}],
'customer_advisories': ['General public (via media)',
'Regional energy consumers (Moldova, Ukraine)'],
'date_publicly_disclosed': '2024-08-18',
'description': 'Romania’s Ministry of Energy published an emergency ordinance '
'on **August 18, 2024**, to establish a **Cybersecurity '
'Incident Response Center in Energy (CSIRT-Energy)**. The '
'initiative aims to bolster the country’s energy sector '
'against escalating cyber threats, particularly those stemming '
'from geopolitical tensions (e.g., Russia’s war in Ukraine) '
'and market vulnerabilities (e.g., liberalization, price '
'fluctuations, and capital market exposure). The center will '
'focus on **continuous monitoring, incident response, forensic '
'investigations, and self-protection** to mitigate risks to '
'national infrastructure, energy prices, and regional '
'stability (Romania supplies electricity to Moldova and '
'Ukraine). The ordinance highlights the urgency due to '
'potential **multi-vector cyberattacks** that could disrupt '
'critical infrastructure and induce civilian panic. The '
'CSIRT-Energy will require **high-level cybersecurity '
'specialists**, with salaries ranging from **EUR 4,500–5,000** '
'(standard) to **EUR 20,000** (advanced skills). The project '
'aligns with Romania’s role as a **regional security '
'provider** and builds on prior collaborations with Ukrainian '
'and Moldovan cybersecurity agencies.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': ['Enhanced trust if CSIRT succeeds',
'Potential reputational damage if '
'attacks occur pre-implementation'],
'operational_impact': ['Potential panic among civilian population',
'Disruption to energy supply chains',
'Regional energy market instability']},
'initial_access_broker': {'high_value_targets': ['Energy trading platforms',
'Grid control systems',
'Capital market-listed '
'energy firms']},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing (CSIRT-Energy in formation stage)',
'lessons_learned': ['Proactive sectoral CSIRTs are critical for energy '
'security in geopolitically volatile regions.',
'Cross-border cybersecurity collaboration (e.g., '
'Romania-Ukraine-Moldova) enhances resilience.',
'Market liberalization and capital exposure increase '
'attack surfaces for energy sectors.',
'Talent acquisition with competitive salaries is '
'essential for specialized cybersecurity roles.'],
'motivation': ['Geopolitical destabilization',
'Economic disruption (energy price manipulation)',
'Critical infrastructure sabotage',
'Regional influence undermining'],
'post_incident_analysis': {'corrective_actions': ['Establishment of '
'CSIRT-Energy with '
'high-level specialists.',
'Regional cybersecurity '
'alliances for shared '
'defense.',
'Competitive salaries to '
'attract top talent.'],
'root_causes': ['Geopolitical tensions '
'(Russia-Ukraine war) increasing '
'cyber-risk appetite.',
'Energy market liberalization '
'creating new attack vectors.',
'Lack of sector-specific CSIRT '
'prior to this initiative.']},
'recommendations': ['Accelerate CSIRT-Energy operationalization with clear '
'timelines.',
'Expand partnerships with NATO/EU cybersecurity '
'frameworks for threat intelligence sharing.',
'Conduct red-team exercises to test energy infrastructure '
'resilience.',
'Develop public-private cybersecurity task forces for '
'unified incident response.',
'Monitor dark web for threats targeting Romanian energy '
'assets.'],
'references': [{'date_accessed': '2024-08-18',
'source': 'Romania-Insider',
'url': 'https://www.romania-insider.com'},
{'source': 'News.ro (cited in ordinance)',
'url': 'https://www.news.ro'},
{'date_accessed': '2024-08-18',
'source': 'Ministry of Energy Emergency Ordinance (Draft)'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'regulatory_notifications': ['Emergency Ordinance '
'published by Ministry '
'of Energy']},
'response': {'communication_strategy': ['Public ordinance disclosure',
'Media statements (e.g., News.ro)',
'Stakeholder coordination'],
'containment_measures': ['Sectoral CSIRT for real-time '
'monitoring',
'Forensic investigation capabilities',
'Self-protection protocols'],
'enhanced_monitoring': 'Yes (continuous monitoring as a core '
'CSIRT function)',
'incident_response_plan_activated': 'Planned (CSIRT-Energy '
'establishment)',
'third_party_assistance': ['Ukrainian cybersecurity agencies',
'Moldovan cybersecurity agencies',
'National Cybersecurity Directorate '
'(DNSC)']},
'stakeholder_advisories': ['Energy companies',
'National Cybersecurity Directorate (DNSC)',
'Ukrainian/Moldovan cybersecurity agencies',
'EU/NATO partners'],
'threat_actor': ['State-sponsored actors (implied: Russian Federation)',
'Cybercriminal groups targeting energy infrastructure'],
'title': 'Establishment of Romania’s Cybersecurity Incident Response Center '
'in Energy (CSIRT-Energy) Amid Heightened Cyber Threat Landscape',
'type': ['Strategic Initiative',
'Preventive Measure',
'Sectoral Cybersecurity Framework']}