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- Sep 20, 2016
Qatar's Ministry of Interior say experts now have evidence showing that the cyberattack on the country's official media originated from the United Arab Emirates.
In a press conference in Doha on Thursday, officials said the planning for the hacking of Qatar News Agency (QNA) started as early as April.
Investigators also reportedly traced the IP (internet protocol) address linked to the hacking to the UAE.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Captain Othman Salem al-Hamoud said that the level and the quality of the hacking was so professional, it had to have "state resources" behind it..
Earlier Lieutenant-Colonel Ali Mohammed al-Mohannadi, head of the ministry's technology division, said the hacking operation took place in coordination with, and through, "one of the blockading states".
"The hackers had total control of the QNA network, including the related accounts, websites and related social platforms," Mohannadi said.
"This was meant to fabricate and post the false reports, which were attributed to His highness, the Emir."
The cyberattacks reportedly lasted for about three hours starting late at night on May 24 to the early hours of May 25, before the state media's IT experts managed to take back control of the site.
In a video presentation, the ministry said that investigators found out that as early as April, hackers had already "infiltrated" the QNA network "using VPN software" and "scanned the website".
The ministry said the hackers "exploited" a loophole in the network's system, and installed "malicious programmes", which were then later used to carry out the publishing of the "false stories".
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/qatar-sheds-light-cyberattack-official-media-170720151344996.html
In a press conference in Doha on Thursday, officials said the planning for the hacking of Qatar News Agency (QNA) started as early as April.
Investigators also reportedly traced the IP (internet protocol) address linked to the hacking to the UAE.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Captain Othman Salem al-Hamoud said that the level and the quality of the hacking was so professional, it had to have "state resources" behind it..
Earlier Lieutenant-Colonel Ali Mohammed al-Mohannadi, head of the ministry's technology division, said the hacking operation took place in coordination with, and through, "one of the blockading states".
"The hackers had total control of the QNA network, including the related accounts, websites and related social platforms," Mohannadi said.
"This was meant to fabricate and post the false reports, which were attributed to His highness, the Emir."
The cyberattacks reportedly lasted for about three hours starting late at night on May 24 to the early hours of May 25, before the state media's IT experts managed to take back control of the site.
In a video presentation, the ministry said that investigators found out that as early as April, hackers had already "infiltrated" the QNA network "using VPN software" and "scanned the website".
The ministry said the hackers "exploited" a loophole in the network's system, and installed "malicious programmes", which were then later used to carry out the publishing of the "false stories".
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/qatar-sheds-light-cyberattack-official-media-170720151344996.html
