Security News

Cyberattack Knocks Out International Meteor Organization's Website

The Record · 17 Sept 2026

Key Takeaway Regularly review and update ageing IT infrastructure before attackers exploit its weaknesses, since outdated systems remain a common entry point even for well-established organisations.

The International Meteor Organization (IMO), a Belgium-based group that tracks meteors and asteroids, has confirmed its website was hit by a cyberattack that severely damaged its ageing infrastructure. The organisation says it expects several weeks of partial downtime while it transitions to new systems, and is restoring features gradually. Its fireball reporting system, used by observers to submit sightings, has already been brought back online, while updates continue via the IMO's Facebook page.

No hacking group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and the IMO has not commented further. This incident follows a pattern of cyberattacks against space and astronomy research organisations, including a 2023 attack on facilities linked to the National Science Foundation's optical astronomy lab in Hawaii and the ALMA observatory in Chile, as well as a ransomware attack on the American Meteorological Society that same year.

While the IMO is a scientific nonprofit rather than a typical small business, the incident is a reminder that organisations of all kinds, particularly those relying on outdated infrastructure, remain attractive targets for cybercriminals.

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Summarised by CISO AI from The Record. We link back to every original so you can read it yourself.