TIRANA, September 12 – A massive and ongoing cyber attack in Montenegro, which officials blame on pro-Russian hackers and Moscow, has been described by experts as unprecedented in its intensity and scope. The coordinated attack that started around August 20 crippled online government information platforms and put Montenegro’s essential infrastructure, including banking, water and electricity power systems, at high risk. The strike followed a number of cyber incidents since the start of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine in February.
Defense Minister Rasko Konjevic said government officials were advised by cyber experts, including a team of FBI investigators that was dispatched to the Balkan state, to go offline for security reasons.
“We have been faced with serious challenges related to the cyberattack for about 20 days, and the entire state system, the system of state administration, and the system of services to citizens are functioning at a rather restrictive level,” Konjevic told The Associated Press.
He said experts from several countries are trying to help restore the Montenegro government’s computer system and find proof of who is behind the attack.
Montenegro’s Agency for National Security blamed the attack squarely on Russia.
Other Eastern European states deemed enemies of Russia have also faced cyberattacks, mostly nuisance-level denial-of-service campaigns that render websites unreachable by flooding them with junk data but don’t damage them. Targets have included networks in Moldova, Slovenia, Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Albania, said AP.
But Albania has accused Iran of the cyber attacks and has cut diplomatic relations with Tehran. However President Bajram Begaj has complicated the evidence saying on Monday a third power is playing a dirty game in the region. He didn’t name it. Did he imply Russia as AP said, or he apparently could not name it because PM Edi Rama has been quick to put the blame on Iran?
/Argumentum.al
