Cyber Incident Victim: Fidesz
Date:
Mar 2022
Location:
Hungary
Summary
Multiple pro-government Hungarian websites were compromised by actors claiming affiliation with Anonymous, resulting in defacement and temporary inaccessibility. The attackers replaced content with messages denouncing the sites as state propaganda tools and criticizing Hungary's perceived alignment with Russia amid the Ukraine conflict, while publishing videos exposing alleged media manipulation tactics. Affected outlets included Nemzeti Sport, Metropol, and Mandiner, among others. The hackers demanded an end to support for Russia, accusing the government of obstructing aid to Ukraine. Hungarian authorities denied favoring Russia, maintaining a neutral stance focused on national interests. The Justice Minister condemned the incident as an attack on press freedom by political opponents ahead of elections, framing it as suppression of dissenting voices.
| 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
On March 28, 2022, multiple pro-Fidesz Hungarian news websites were compromised in a cyberattack attributed to the hacker collective Anonymous. The incident began with defacement of sites including Nemzeti Sport, Metropol, Figyelő, Szabadföld, 888.hu, and Mandiner, which displayed a message accusing the outlets of disseminating government propaganda while suppressing independent journalism. The hackers replaced content with statements asserting: "This Website is part of the state propaganda media! We have brought you the truth. Independent press instead of propaganda!" Two videos exposing alleged controversial practices of government-aligned media were also published on the compromised platforms. All affected sites subsequently became inaccessible, though other pro-government outlets like Magyar Nemzet and Pesti Srácok remained operational.
The attackers justified their actions by condemning Hungary's perceived alignment with Russia during its invasion of Ukraine, citing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's refusal to support EU sanctions or military aid to Ukraine. In pre-attack communications circulated on March 27, they accused Orbán's government of acting as a "Trojan horse for the Kremlin" and demanded an end to Hungarian trade with Russia. The Hungarian government denied pro-Russian bias, maintaining a neutral stance prioritizing national interests. Justice Minister Judit Varga responded via Facebook, framing the attack as ideological suppression by left-wing actors ahead of April 3 elections, questioning whether opposition victory would enable further censorship. Technical remediation efforts restored site accessibility, but no attribution confirmation or additional containment measures were disclosed. The incident amplified domestic political tensions regarding media freedom and Hungary's geopolitical positioning.