.- The website for the Mexican bishops' conference was knocked offline after a cyber attack was launched against it.
Paola Rios, director of digital communications for the conference, told CNA that hackers “damaged the database.” She explained that the website had been backed up on a regular basis that and “all of the information was retrieved, but functionality has not been restored.”
She said the website had been the target of cyber attacks in the weeks prior to May 5.
“Any website can be a target,” Rios added. “The technician who works with us said the attacks have come from all over, from different countries.”
“I think it is random. We are a website increasing our ranking on the web and we produce articles on a daily basis,” she said when asked about a motive for the attack.
Rios said they expect to have the site back online by next week. “We can’t be unable to communicate, the bishops need to get their messages out,” she added, noting that the Mexican bishops will hold their next plenary assembly in three weeks.
Rios said a new design for the site was set to be unveiled the first or second week of June, but that since the site was knocked offline, the department accelerated its plans to implement it sooner.
