The government of Montenegro has become the target of a large-scale hacking attack. In several waves on Friday and Saturday, computer systems of various government agencies – including that of the Ministry of Finance – were “infected,” Governing Minister Maras Dukaj announced on Saturday. The person responsible for Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic’s government has already been determined: Russia.
Defense Minister Rasko Konjevic spoke of “extremely sophisticated attacks” that individual hackers would not be able to carry out. “Who would have a political interest in inflicting such damage on Montenegro?” he asked on state television, speaking of “sufficient evidence” to suspect Moscow is behind the attack.
Montenegro on the list of “enemy states”
The Kremlin placed the country on its list of ‘enemy states’ in March for supporting EU sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Several media outlets, citing an “informal briefing” by Montenegro’s national security service, reported that the attack was orchestrated by “several Russian services”. This put the entire infrastructure at risk, including electricity and water supplies. The control panels had switched to manual operating mode.
Thanks to quick countermeasures, the IT infrastructure is not permanently damaged, explains Dukaj. According to him, no data of citizens and companies was at risk.
France offers help
France has already announced support against hacker attacks. It plans to send an Information Systems Security Agency (ANSSI) mission to investigate the cyber attack and restore security.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
