Spanish Judge Investigates Nationwide Blackout as Possible Cyber Threat

Spain’s top criminal court has launched an official probe into Monday’s widespread power outage, examining whether the blackout may have been triggered by a cyberattack, according to Bloomberg.

Judge José Luis Calama of Spain’s National Court opened the preliminary investigation this week and has requested detailed reports from the national cybersecurity agency, the country’s power grid operator, and the national police. These documents are expected to shed light on the technical circumstances that led to the incident and help determine whether the event was criminal in nature, per Bloomberg.

In a statement issued Tuesday via email by the National Court, Judge Calama confirmed that while the precise cause of the outage remains unknown, “cyber terrorism is among the possibilities,” prompting the court to launch the inquiry. The judge’s directive signals growing concern over potential vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure systems and highlights the increasing attention paid to cybersecurity in judicial and regulatory frameworks.

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While no direct evidence has been made public suggesting that malicious digital interference was responsible, the investigation marks a significant step toward addressing potential cybersecurity gaps within Spain’s national power infrastructure.

This move comes amid heightened awareness across Europe about the fragility of essential networks in the face of evolving cyber threats. Regulatory bodies in the region have been working to strengthen national defenses against potential attacks on digital and physical infrastructure, and the outcome of Spain’s investigation could prompt broader regulatory scrutiny and potential reforms.

Source: Bloomberg