03 Jan Bahrain’s e visa service targeted by hacktivists
According to The Cyber Express, Bahrain’s E Visa service has been targeted by notorious hacktivists, Anonymous Collective. As yet, details on the extent of the breach, what information has been compromised and the motive, have not been disclosed.
The cyber attack has not yet been verified officially by the Bahrain Government. According to The Cyber Express, Anonymous Collective has claimed to have launched the attack, although the E Visa service appeared to be operating as usual.
It’s not the first time the hacktivists have targeted a government or organisation in the Middle East. In December 2023, Anonymous Collective claimed responsibility for an attack on the UAE government portal, allegedly taking it offline temporarily. Little is known about this attack and the data that was compromised.
In November 2023, the collective orchestrated a DDoS attack on Cairo International Airport – claiming it was in response to Egypt’s apparent support for Israel during the Gaza conflict. That particular attack resulted in millions of dollars in financial loss, and extensive damage to the airport’s digital infrastructure. Again, no official statement has been issued.
Incidents such as these only serve to highlight the increased demand for robust cybersecurity measures. Security predictions for last year from Trellix Advanced Research Center included a spike in geopolitically motivated attacks, and hacktivism fuelled by tensions from opposing political parties.