Esat Gürhan, president of the Chamber of Computer Engineers (BMO) under the Union of Turkish Cypriot Chambers of Engineers and Architects (KTMMOB), issued a written statement on the security vulnerabilities in PHP software currently on the agenda. "The existence of a security vulnerability and a data breach resulting from its exploitation are two different things," Gürhan said.
Noting that PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) is widely used, Gürhan explained that the flaws may allow malicious actors to remotely execute harmful code without authentication on systems that have not been updated and where certain conditions exist. However, he stressed that a website using PHP does not mean it has been attacked or that citizens' personal data has been compromised.
Referring to statements by Turkey's Presidential Cyber Security Directorate and the TMMOB Chamber of Computer Engineers, Gürhan said PHP developers have released new versions fixing the vulnerabilities. He added that firewalls, VPNs or similar access restrictions alone do not fully protect systems, and that affected systems must be identified, vendor patches applied and measures technically verified.
Gürhan advised citizens to use strong and distinct passwords, avoid saving card details on untrusted websites and use virtual cards, be wary of suspicious SMS and emails, store important documents securely and follow official announcements. "Maintaining basic habits such as secure passwords, two-factor authentication and avoiding suspicious links is of great importance," he said.
He urged public institutions, local authorities, universities, banks, telecom operators, health institutions and all private firms providing digital services to review their systems through authorised technical teams. Calling on the Information Technologies and Communication Authority and other competent bodies to ensure technical coordination, Gürhan noted that e-government services, digital population records, immigration procedures, health information systems and municipal services play a growing role in daily life, making their security vital for data protection and the accuracy of official records.
Gürhan said secure digital infrastructure requires regular updates, continuous auditing, proper system management, qualified IT staff, effective incident response and inter-agency cooperation, adding that the chamber is ready to contribute. The right approach, he said, is to take timely measures based on verified information, without downplaying risks or panicking.
