Cyber Incident Victim: Algérie Presse Service (APS)
Date:
Feb 2023
Location:
Algeria
Summary
The Algérie Presse Service (APS) website experienced severe cyberattacks originating from Morocco, Israel, and parts of Europe, prompting temporary service disruption as a precautionary measure to safeguard its database. These sustained attacks, described as part of an escalating media and cyber campaign targeting Algeria, were repelled using the agency's security protocols. Previous assaults from similar regions had targeted the multilingual news platform, with intensification attributed to Algeria's geopolitical positions on national and international issues, which APS consistently publicizes.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On or around February 12, 2023, the Algérie Presse Service (APS) website, hosting its multilingual news platforms, became the target of a series of severe cyberattacks. These attacks commenced on Sunday, February 12, and were characterized as deliberate attempts to compromise and hack the agency’s online infrastructure. In response to the immediate threat, APS implemented a precautionary temporary shutdown of its website to prevent unauthorized access and mitigate potential damage to its systems. The attacks were traced to specific geographical origins, including Morocco, the "occupying Zionist entity" (understood to reference Israel), and unidentified regions in Europe. APS technical teams detected and localized these intrusion attempts in real time, attributing the severity of the assaults to their persistent and coordinated nature.
The incident formed part of a prolonged pattern of cyber aggression against APS, with the agency noting an escalation in attack intensity linked to Algeria’s geopolitical stances. Prior to the February 12 event, APS had endured recurrent cyber intrusions of varying severity, primarily originating from the same regions. These incidents were contextualized within a broader "media and cyber war" targeting Algeria, specifically retaliating against the nation’s immutable policy positions on regional and international issues. APS served as a primary conduit for disseminating these state policies, making it a frequent focal point for adversarial cyber activity. During the February attacks, APS cybersecurity measures successfully repelled the intrusions, though the agency maintained the temporary site blockade to safeguard its databases and internal systems as hostile activities persisted. No unauthorized data access or explicit operational disruption beyond the temporary outage was disclosed.