Algeria accuses Israel and Morocco of launching cyberattack on official news agency

Algeria accused Morocco and Israel yesterday of launching a cyberattack on the website of the official Algerian News Agency. According to Algerian state television, the website was subjected to a series of serious cyberattacks for hours as hackers tried to get into the site.

“Israel, Morocco and some areas in Europe” were behind the attacks, said an informed source. However, the agency’s defensive measures and technical systems allowed it to thwart the offensive, which is ongoing, and prevent attempts to breach its database.

The source concluded that the cyberattacks are part of the media and electronic war against Algeria, due to its critical stances and decisions, and the support for such an approach by the agency.

There was no immediate official Moroccan comment on the Algerian accusations, although this is not the first time that the neighbouring countries have exchanged allegations about electronic attacks on government institution websites. In December, for example, a Moroccan media source said that the ministry of education website in the Kingdom had been hacked by people from outside the country, “including an Algerian source.”

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