EU suffers major cyber-security scandal with publication of 1,100 secret cables

A trove of hacked EU diplomatic cables made available to the New York Times revealed no major secrets, but displayed the remarkably poor protection of routine exchanges among EU officials.

Hackers accessed the EU’s diplomatic communications network for years, downloading cables that reveal concerns about the Trump administration, struggles to deal with Russia and China and the risk of Iran reviving its nuclear program, the New York Times reported late on Tuesday (18 December).

Hackers infiltrated the EU’s diplomatic communications network for years, downloading thousands of cables that reveal concerns about an unpredictable Trump administration and struggles to deal with Russia, China and Iran https://t.co/bh7DXL7xb4

— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 19, 2018

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More than 1,100 cables from the EU’s COREU coded messaging system were supplied to the Times by security firm Area 1 after it discovered the breach, the newspaper said, adding that Area 1 investigators believed the hackers worked for the China’s People’s Liberation Army.

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