Several French Government Entities Targeted in 'Unprecedented' Cyber Attack

On Monday, March 12, the office of the French Prime Minister announced that several government entities in the country were targeted in a 'previously unseen intensity' cyber attack, emphasizing that the attack has been contained. Gabriel Attal's office, without providing further details on the targets of the cyber attack, stated: 'Many service sectors of the ministries have been targeted since Sunday using familiar cyber methods, but with unprecedented intensity.' According to a security source cited by AFP, although Russia is the main suspect behind this attack due to Paris's support for Kyiv since Putin's invasion of Ukraine, 'it cannot currently be attributed to Moscow.' The Prime Minister's office further stated that 'a cyber crisis management unit has been activated to take countermeasures' and 'the impact of these attacks on government service sectors has been mitigated, and access to government websites has been restored.' Special services, including the National Information Security Agency of France, will use filtering methods until the attack is completely neutralized. The Prime Minister's office had warned last week before this cyber attack that the Paris Olympics, scheduled for August 2024, and the European Parliament elections in the summer could be 'important targets' for cyber attacks. French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu had previously stated that protection against 'sabotage and cyber attacks' by Russia should be increased. Earlier, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Germany warned opponents of the Islamic Republic's government in that country that they might be targeted by hackers. This office stated that the hacking group 'Charming Kitten' approaches victims through trust-building to the extent that they disclose information about themselves and any contacts with Iran. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Germany explained that this group uses a multi-step process to identify and spy on opponents of the Islamic Republic, obtaining sensitive information by sending fake messages that appear legitimate. A $10 million reward has been offered for information about the 'cyber agent' of the Islamic Republic. The U.S. Attorney's Office has indicted a '10 million dollar' Iranian hacker. Exclusively, the United States has targeted two Islamic Republic spy ships in a cyber attack. A Google report indicates an increase in the Islamic Republic's cyber operations to mislead public opinion against Israel.