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Belarus
In April 2008, the independent Belarus Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty experienced cyberattacks.
Related Article: Statement on Cyberattacks Against Radio Free Europe in Belarus.
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Estonia
In April 2007, hackers targeted the Estonian presidency, government ministries, political parties, news organizations and banks. The Estonian defense minister pushed NATO to address cybersecurity.
Related Article: Cybersecurity on Agenda as Bush Welcomes Estonian President.
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Georgia
In 2008 during the South Ossetia conflict, hackers targeted the Georgian presidency, Parliament, foreign ministry and media Web sites. Georgian officials accused Russia of orchestrating the attack.
Related Article: Russian Provocations Contributed to Georgia Crisis.
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Kyrgyzstan
In January 2009, hackers targeted the country’s two leading Internet service providers, shutting down Web sites and e-mail temporarily. Officials estimate that 80 percent of the nation’s Internet traffic was knocked offline. -
United States
In April 2009, hackers penetrated the U.S. electrical grid to map it and see how it is controlled. In May, President Obama said he would appoint a cybercoordinator to develop a cybersecurity strategy.
During the 2008 presidential campaign, the FBI said a foreign entity or organization was trying to gather information on candidate Obama and his team. The FBI said Obama’s computer system had been compromised and several files stolen — leading Obama to retain a security team to guard against further intrusions.
Related articles: Keeping America’s cyber infrastructure secure and President Obama’s Remarks on Securing U.S. Cyber Infrastructure
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France
In 2007, hackers attacked French government Web sites, including that of the Ministry of Defense. French officials say hackers were testing IT (information technology) defenses rather than trying to steal confidential information.
Related Article: Democracy Dialogue on Attacks on Bloggers and Cyber-Dissidents.
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Germany
In 2007, computers at the German chancellery and three government ministries were infected with a Trojan horse virus, allowing hackers to spy on the computers and access sensitive information.
Related Article: NATO’s Strasbourg/Kehl Summit Declaration.
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United Kingdom
In 2007, Britain’s spy agency discovered that Chinese hackers had infiltrated the computers of British banks and legal firms. In 2009, Prime Minister Gordon Brown appointed the nation’s first cybersecurity minister. -
India
In 2008, Indian officials accused Chinese hackers of attacking various government Web sites. The officials said, however, that government networks were not disabled.
Related Article: U.S.-India Security Forum: Enhanced Cooperation to Safeguard Shared Information Infrastructures.
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Iraq
In September 2008, the Web sites of a Shiite religious leader in Iraq were attacked and then blocked. The hackers remain unidentified and the attacked Web sites were running normally again within a week. -
South Korea
In 2009, hackers targeted South Korean government Web sites. Various U.S. government Web sites were also knocked offline. Although South Korea accused North Korea of carrying out the attacks, the identity of the hackers remains unknown.
Related Article: East Asian Security Strengthened by U.S. Alliances.
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Israel
In 2009, during a conflict with Hamas in Gaza, Israeli government sites were flooded with denial-of-service attacks, at one point receiving 15 million hits per second from around half a million computers. -
New Zealand
In 2007, New Zealand’s chief intelligence officer said foreign governments hacked into the country’s Web sites, stealing information and leaving behind software that could control the computer systems that had been attacked. -
Chile
In 2007, a hacker infiltrated the Chilean president’s Web site, placing a picture of a Peruvian flag and leaving the site inoperable for a time.
