Both ministers say that no confidential information was compromised.
Former Croatian Foreign Minister Miro Kovač and his successor Davor Ivo Stier commented on the news that the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs was a target of two hacking attacks in recent months, reports Večernji List on December 4, 2016.
“In October, we have discovered an unauthorized entry into the information system of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. I have immediately informed the then Prime Minister Tihomir Orešković. I have also personally informed the current Minister Davor Ivo Stier about the unauthorized entry during the handover of duties which took place on 20 October”, said Kovač to reporters.
According to Kovač, the Ministry also informed authorities in charge of prevention and solving the problems related to the security of information in public administration system. “We have taken all the measures needed for data protection and national security, according to Croatian laws and regulations”, said Kovač. Talking about the possible effects of the attack, he reiterated that no information of strategic importance for Croatia was compromised. “And that is the most important thing”, said the former Minister, who did not want to speculate who was behind the cyber attacks.
Current Foreign Minister Davor Ivo Stier also commented on the attack. He allowed the possibility that the attack came from one of the eastern countries, but added that it had nothing to do with the visit of Prime Minister Plenković to Ukraine, since the attacks occurred before he took office. “According to the report that I have received, no strategic information was compromised. The aim of the attack was information pertaining to foreign and security policies in the context of Euro-Atlantic organizations”, said Stier to reporters.
Speaking about the strengthening of data protection, he announced future cooperation between the Ministry and the Security and Intelligence Agency (SOA). “I have talked with the SOA director and we will improve our cooperation in order to further protect classified information”, said Stier. “Information that we have shows that there are indications that the attack came from the east, but SOA is working on this issue. Similar things have happened in other parts of Europe as well”, said Stier.
Stier repeatedly insisted that the latest attack took place during the term of former government and that it had nothing to do with the visit of Prime Minister to Ukraine, which caused protests from Russia. According to Stier, the government has its own foreign policy and will insists on its principles and on such policies.
