Chile: Massive hacking of armed forces emails embarrasses government

Defense Minister Maya Fernandez Allende facing Congress in Valparaiso, Chile, September 27, 2022. © RODRIGO GARRIDO/REUTERS

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The Chilean Minister of Defense was heard Tuesday, September 27 by deputies and senators.

She must be held accountable after the huge hack into the armed forces' computer system where around 400,000 emails containing sensitive national security information were stolen.

The minister says she was not informed immediately. 

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With our correspondent in Santiago,

The irony of history is that the hacker group named Guaca Maya released the stolen information on September 19, a holiday in Chile that celebrates…the glory of the military.

The next day, the Minister of Defense flew to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York, but she had to return urgently after learning of this massive leak of information deemed " 

 ".

Borders, commandos, army cybersecurity…

The stolen emails were released a few days ago, but the cyberattack actually took place several months ago, in May.

The then chief of staff had warned that there were potential computer dangers and that more resources were needed to deal with them, but without specifying the seriousness of the matter.

He has since resigned.

According to the investigative media

, among the emails that were hacked are information on the army's cybersecurity strategy, the satellite surveillance and communication systems at the borders or the type of computer programs used by some army commandos.

►Also read: One of the main Australian telephone operators victim of a massive hack

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• Chile

• Cybercriminality

• Defense