Cyber Incident Victim: Suzuki Greece
Date:
Apr 2018
Location:
Greece
Summary
Turkish hackers from Akincilar defaced the Greek webpage of Suzuki and the state-run ANA-MPA news agency, posting messages accusing Greece of supporting terrorists. In retaliation, Greek hackers affiliated with Anonymous Greece targeted Turkish media outlets and claimed to compromise thousands of Turk Telecom routers, while exchanging politically charged accusations related to bilateral tensions. The attacks occurred amid heightened diplomatic strains, with both sides leveraging cyber operations to advance nationalist narratives and criticize each other's governments over military incidents and asylum disputes. The incident exemplified an ongoing cyber conflict between hacktivist groups from both nations, disrupting digital assets and escalating rhetoric without physical confrontation.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 2 techniques |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 2 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
The incident involving Suzuki-Greece occurred within a broader context of escalating cyber hostilities between Turkish and Greek hacktivist groups in late April and early May 2018. On April 30, Turkish hacking group Akincilar (Invaders) initiated attacks by hijacking the website of Greece's state-run ANA-MPA news agency, replacing its content with a bilingual Turkish-English message accusing Greece of supporting terrorist organizations. The same group subsequently defaced the official Greek website of Japanese automaker Suzuki, propagating identical allegations through a website takeover. These coordinated defacements represented a deliberate targeting of both governmental and commercial entities aligned with Greek interests. The Greek Foreign Ministry issued a statement on May 3 characterizing these as routine cyber incidents being "neutralized immediately by responsible authorities," though no specific technical countermeasures were disclosed.
Hacktivist group Anonymous Greece launched retaliatory operations on May 7, paralyzing Turkish television network Top Channel 24's services and claiming compromise of 12,987 Turk Telecom routers. Their public statement on Medium.com accused Turkish President Erdogan of targeting Kurds and attempting to rebuild ISIS through military operations in Afrin, while contrasting Greece's asylum grant to eight Turkish officers with Turkey's detention of two Greek soldiers who allegedly crossed the border during foggy conditions. Akincilar persisted with threats against Greek nationals, warning they would be "thrown into the sea" like their ancestors and accusing Greece of supporting FETO, a designated terrorist organization in Turkey. Security analysts projected intensified attacks preceding Turkey's upcoming general elections, with University of Thrace lecturer Jorgos Tzogopoulos noting these cyber operations reflected significant deterioration in bilateral relations. The incident cycle demonstrated hacktivist capabilities to disrupt media outlets, commercial entities, and telecommunications infrastructure while leveraging geopolitical tensions through digital propaganda and service disruption.