The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has been targeted in a cyberattack.
The agency was subjected to a significant cyberattack in the early hours of Christmas Eve, its executive director confirmed.
David Pirie said that while core regulatory, monitoring, flood forecasting and warning services continued, communication into and across the organisation was significantly impacted.
Mr Pirie said: “At one minute past midnight on Christmas Eve, Sepa systems were subject to a significant and ongoing cyberattack.
“The attack is impacting our contact centre, internal systems, processes and internal communications.
“We immediately enacted our robust business continuity arrangements, with our core regulatory, monitoring, flood forecasting and warning services adapting and continuing to operate.
“Our Emergency Management Team is working with Scottish Government, Police Scotland and the National Cyber Security Centre to respond to what appears to be complex and sophisticated criminality.
“Whilst we continue to liaise closely with resilience partners, we’re asking for those who wish to contact us right now to do so through our social media channels on Facebook and Twitter (@ScottishEPA).”
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