Austria Repels Foreign State-Sponsored Attempt to Hack Foreign Ministry

Austria’s Foreign Ministry fought off a cyberattack over the weekend that it says was likely directed by a foreign state. The ministry said the attack started on Jan. 4 and might continue for a few more days, it but revealed few further details.

According to a BBC report, the timing of the hack coincides with Austria’s Green party agreement to support a coalition headlined by conservatives.

“Despite all intensive security measures, there is never 100% protection against cyber-attacks. In the past, other European countries have been the target of similar attacks,” said the ministry. The website functionality remained intact and was available again by Sunday.

While no group has been named for the Austrian attack, one of the more active hacking groups in Europe is APT28, better known as Fancy Bear. APT28 is the author of numerous attacks, including against NATO, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Boeing, Lockheed Martin, the German Parliament, and much more. The group’s scope extends past Europe, and it’s active in the United States, Ukraine, Russia and Syria as well.

The European Union also issued a warning in 2019 regarding the implementation of 5G technology and the fact that countries might open themselves up to attacks from state-sponsored entities, among others.