Cyber Attack Targets Pacific Islands Forum Before Summit Event
New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has disclosed that a ‘malicious cyber attack’ targeted the Pacific Islands Forum.
The cyber attack on the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) occurred before its regional summit in late August. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) of New Zealand has labeled the incident as “malicious,” with the Australian government deeming it “extensive.”
The attack on the Secretariat, located in Suva, Fiji, and serving as the administrative body of PIF, was initially detected in February, although unauthorized access likely occurred earlier. The hackers seemed to be seeking information on the Forum’s communications with member nations and details about the Secretariat’s operations.
The Australian government dispatched a team of cyber experts, both from the government and private sector, to Fiji to assist with the breach. While the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s analysis indicated that the attack was carried out by a group supported by Beijing, the Secretariat has not publicly confirmed the attack nor attributed it to any specific nation.
Although the Australian government did not officially acknowledge the incident or the dispatch of a support team, a representative for Winston Peters, New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, verified that the Minister had been briefed on a cyber event affecting the PIF Secretariat systems.
“We are alarmed by the increasing number of malicious cyber incidents in our region, targeting national entities and regional organizations,” expressed Peters’ spokesperson. “The prompt assistance from Australia to help the forum secretariat address their systems after this incident is greatly appreciated.”
CCP-backed Hacking on the Rise
Australia has attributed previous cyber attacks to Chinese state-backed groups, including those associated with the Chinese Communist Party’s Ministry of State Security (MSS).
The 18-member forum has garnered more global attention as Beijing’s activities in the region have become progressively assertive, competing for influence against the United States and its allies.
The Solomon Islands, a vocal supporter of Beijing in the South Pacific, had pushed to remove Taiwan’s “development partner” status with the forum, but did not secure majority support.
Earlier this year, Palau, which maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan, accused the Chinese Communist Party of orchestrating a significant cyber attack on its computer networks.
Baron Waqa, secretary of the Pacific Islands Forum, who has called for Beijing and Washington to resolve their conflicts outside the Pacific, is scheduled to address the media on Sept. 13.
