Defence ministry targeted by hackers

Reports suggest the defence ministry of the Republic of Cyprus thwarted a cyber attack last week, around the same time a major hacking incident was reported by British defence, with both countries pointing the finger to foreign hackers.

The Cyprus News Agency on Monday cited reliable sources saying “someone tried to unsuccessfully hack the Cyprus Defence Ministry website last week.”

CNA said a reliable source told the state-funded network that a Turkish hacker was behind an “unsuccessful malicious cyber attack.”

Earlier this month, British media said the country’s defence academy at a tri-service college in Oxfordshire, where officers, spies and civil servants attend training, was hit by a major cyber attack, knocking out the IT network with reports also saying the website went down.

But in the Republic of Cyprus, the source told CNA, “the effort was successfully halted and the website suffered no damage,” adding that "the Defence Ministry takes all appropriate measures to prevent and address similar actions."

British media have speculated that hackers from abroad could be behind the alleged attack on the tri-service college, citing a source saying staff had been told China and Russia were the key suspects.

“Everyone was told to use their personal laptops and computers because the work ones have been compromised,” an unnamed source was quoted as saying by The Sun last week.