Cyber Incident Victim: Jair Bolsonaro Administration
Date:
Jul 2019
Location:
Brazil
Summary
Cellphones used by Brazil's president were targeted in cyber attacks, prompting the Justice Ministry to issue a statement after federal police alerted them due to national security concerns. The incident was linked to suspects arrested in connection with a group accused of hacking other government authorities, marking another instance of high-level officials being compromised.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 3 motives | 2 techniques |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On July 25, 2019, the Brazilian Justice Ministry publicly disclosed that cellphones used by President Jair Bolsonaro had been targeted by cyber attackers. The ministry issued an official statement confirming the incident after receiving a briefing from federal police investigators, who characterized the matter as one of national security significance. The announcement did not specify the exact timing of the attacks, the number of devices compromised, or whether sensitive data had been accessed. Bolsonaro became the latest in a series of high-ranking Brazilian government officials to experience such targeting, indicating a pattern of cyber intrusions against state authorities. The ministry asserted that the attacks originated from individuals already in custody, connecting the incident to arrests made the previous Tuesday during an investigation into a hacking group. This group stood accused of compromising systems belonging to other government figures prior to targeting the president's devices.
Federal police had been conducting an ongoing probe into the hacking collective before identifying their alleged involvement in the presidential device breaches. The Justice Ministry's decision to publicize the incident underscored its severity within the context of national security protocols. While technical details about the attack vectors, malware used, or specific vulnerabilities exploited remained undisclosed, the coordinated response involved law enforcement's existing investigative framework targeting the arrested suspects. The incident highlighted persistent cybersecurity threats facing Brazil's highest political offices, though authorities did not release information about operational disruptions, data exfiltration, or secondary impacts resulting from the breaches. The disclosure followed established procedures for handling security incidents involving heads of state, with federal police maintaining investigative control while the Justice Ministry managed official communications.