Several of Monaco’s most important official websites were temporarily taken offline on Wednesday, October 21, following an international cybersecurity alert over critical vulnerabilities that could expose websites and their users to serious attacks…
The Prince’s Palace, the Prince’s Government, Monaco City Hall and the Monegasque Digital Security Agency (AMSN) were among the institutions affected. Websites serving the Exotic Garden, Rainier III Academy and Espace Léo Ferré were also unavailable as precautionary maintenance was carried out.
The alert followed the discovery of two serious flaws in PHP, a programming language underpinning a substantial proportion of the internet. According to the BBC, cybersecurity researchers identified vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to execute malicious code remotely, potentially gaining control of affected servers.
Cybersecurity firm Wiz estimates that approximately 70% of the internet could be affected by the vulnerabilities, although the BBC has been unable to independently verify the figure.
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Such an attack could expose personal information, passwords and financial details, while allowing criminals to manipulate online transactions or insert malicious content into otherwise legitimate websites. Crucially, a compromised website may continue to appear entirely normal to visitors.
Security agencies worldwide have urged organisations to install emergency updates or temporarily disconnect vulnerable systems. Similar precautions have been taken by government bodies and major organisations across Europe.
Monaco City Hall confirmed that online administrative services would remain unavailable during maintenance, advising residents to contact municipal departments by telephone or email. Existing appointments and document requests remain valid.
Authorities are working to restore access as quickly as possible. There is currently no indication that Monaco’s affected websites have been compromised; the shutdowns are precautionary.
