OKD has resumed mining operations in its mines in Karviná, which closed on Monday after hackers took down the company’s computer network. The resumption of mining was possible after the creation of a separate internal computer network necessary for security.
OKD created a fully functional separate network during the Christmas holidays in cooperation with external companies that provide the computer network.
The first malicious code attack on the company came on Friday, 20 December. The purpose was to create an entry point, which then helped on Sunday 22 December around 22:00 major attack. The virus attacked and paralyzed the entire infrastructure of the company.
But the safety of miners, according to the company, did not threaten. Sensors that monitor the occurrence of methane underground are routed separately outside the network, and so even after the hacker attack did not stop working.
OKD will have to format all stations again and restore data from backups, which will take weeks, maybe months.
The OKD mining company is the only black coal producer in the Czech Republic. Coal mines in the Karviná region in the ČSA, Darkov, ČSM-Sever and ČSM-Jih mines. The company has been owned by the state through Prisko since last year. Around 8500 people now work with contractor workers in the Karviná mines. In 2018 OKD had a net profit of 1.29 billion crowns. This year it will end up in a loss, which will probably reach several hundred million crowns.
