Cyber Incident Victim: Manuel Delias Blog
Date:
May 2018
Location:
Malta
Summary
A journalist-blogger's website was targeted in a large-scale cyberattack primarily originating from Ukraine, described as one of the most severe incidents of its kind in Malta. The attack involved a coordinated Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) assault that overwhelmed the site's defenses, causing temporary downtime despite technical countermeasures. The victim attributed the sustained offensive to his criticism of the government, noting that similar intimidation tactics—including trolling campaigns and cyberattacks—were routinely deployed against Maltese media outlets critical of authorities. Though the blog was restored, the professional and well-funded nature of the attack prompted considerations for enhanced security measures. The incident was characterized as a criminal act with destructive intent comparable to physical attacks on media institutions.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actor | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 actor | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
Manuel Delia's blog experienced a sustained cyberattack during the week leading up to May 20, 2018, described as one of the most severe incidents in Maltese digital history. The Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack flooded the website's servers with traffic originating primarily from Ukrainian-based systems, supplemented by coordinated global sources. Technical teams defending the blog encountered persistent challenges as attackers continuously exploited vulnerabilities whenever initial defenses were implemented. The assault caused significant disruption, temporarily taking the website offline after overwhelming its original security measures. Engineers characterized the operation as professionally coordinated and unusually well-resourced compared to typical attacks targeting Maltese websites. By May 20, technical staff had restored access through countermeasures, though the attack waves remained active. Delia publicly disclosed the incident through an article on The Shift News, noting the attack's unprecedented scale within Malta's digital landscape while the cyber assault was still ongoing.
The attack directly impacted Delia's ability to maintain consistent online presence during the critical week, forcing technical teams into reactive defense mode. Delia attributed the motivation to his political commentary criticizing Malta's government, which he characterized as controlled by a "crime syndicate." He contextualized the incident within broader patterns of intimidation against government-critical Maltese media outlets, citing coordinated trolling campaigns, author intimidation, and varying-scale cyberattacks against other news platforms. While acknowledging no physical injuries resulted, Delia equated the psychological and operational impact to the 1978 arson attack on Times of Malta, emphasizing the criminal intent behind digital suppression tactics. Following initial system breaches, the blog implemented restored defenses while exploring additional protective measures against future attacks. The incident highlighted vulnerabilities in Maltese independent media infrastructure and raised concerns about foreign-sourced cyber operations targeting domestic political discourse.