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Hackers attack, deface Maldivian tourism ministry’s Twitter account

Kunal Chonkar
By Kunal Chonkar

Alleging massive embezzlement of COVID-19 relief funds provided by India and IMF by the Maldivian government, hackers deface tourism ministry’s Twitter account

New Delhi:  In less than two weeks, after an international group of hackers attacked the website of its Health Ministry and Health Protection Agency, the government of the Maldives once again became a victim of a cyberattack.

As confirmed by the Maldives Police Service, on 14 May the official Twitter account of the Maldivian Ministry of Tourism was hacked and defaced with anti-government posts.

This incident was the second cyberattack on Male. The first cyberattack in form of a hack on 3 May left the government running for cover after the international group of hackers known as ‘Anonymous’ defaced two of its websites. The hackers’ group had reportedly carried out the digital attack for the Maldives growing diplomatic relations and deepening cooperation with India.

The hack staged on Thursday, was also carried out as a form of digital revenge against the government-run by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The hackers while severely criticizing the government alleged massive corruption and embezzlement of funds meant for relief measures against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Government sources said that the perpetrators chastised the government’s COVID-19 response efforts were tweeted from the ministry’s account after it was hacked. They criticized the administration’s reported failure to utilize foreign aid for the benefit of Maldivian citizens and demanded that the citizens must be informed of how these funds were utilized.

Police reports also confirmed that a large scale cyberattack against frontline workers, particularly doctors, via messaging application WhatsApp.

While an investigation is being carried out by security agencies, Male police have appealed to frontline workers against clicking suspicious links or forwarding codes and passwords, warning that these cyberattacks were often carried out from duplicated accounts posing as a contact of the intended victim.

Government sources claimed that the cyberattack alleging misappropriations of COVID-19 relief funds was targeting the two recent financial developments carried out by the Maldives.

The first was the Maldives received $150 million from the $400 million currency swap agreement signed between the Maldives Monetary Authority and the Reserve Bank of India in July 2019. This currency swap agreement was part of the financial package extended from India to the Maldives, during the state visit of President Solih in December 2018. While the second was the International Monetary Fund’s Executive Board approving $28.9 million disbursements to Male to address the pandemic.

In their cryptic message after hacking the websites of the Maldivian government, the hacker group ‘Anonymous’ had threatened to further carry out digital attacks on Male, if it continued its diplomatic bonhomie with India. 

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Kunal Chonkar
Kunal Chonkar
Worked in the national and international news industry for over 12 years, with extensive experience covering breaking news, diplomatic reporting, conflict and natural disasters. Has specialist knowledge and experience of Asian affairs. Proven track record of working with international missions and national government in his role as a media advisor, and political strategist. He holds a post-graduate degree in International Relations, and Sociology.
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