UAE media websites were recently hacked by a terrorist group according to recent news last Friday. An on-going investigation is made as the two hacked media sites reported that they didn't affect the content.
Reportedly, there is a recent hacking activity involved with the two media sites, Abu Dhabi TV and Al Ittihad, by the terrorist group. They said that the terrorist group didn't make any alterations with the content of the sites but they "just manage to direct traffic to another side."
Arabian Business mentioned that Al Ittihad said that the hacking done was just a form of a naive hacking. "Al Ittihad confirms that this terrorist statement and the naive hacking of its website only bolsters its stance against terrorism in all its form and sources. Al Ittihad newspaper works in full coordination with the competent authorities and agencies in the state to identify these terrorist hackers," said in a statement.
The statement added, "Al Ittihad wishes to reassure its readers that its website is fully operational and that the terrorist hakers failed to hack it. They were only able to hack the link to the website. The authorities were able to approximately locate the hackers' location."
Furthermore, Al Ittihad's editor-in-chief Mohammed Al Hammadi said that the hackers attempted to grab any information from site [inside the website per se] but unfortunately they failed to make it. Instead, they are just able to hack the link. "They attacked the website but couldn't take any information from inside it." Part of their hacking strategy was to place a statement undermining the media including the people living in the region.
Hours after the hacking attack, the normal service of the website resumed. He also added that Daesh, the terrorist group, tried to attack Abu Dhabi website but still, they couldn't. When the sites were down, readers were directed to a page that displays three militants dressed in a soldiers' attire with their rifles. Their two logos [ISIL head logo] which they regularly used branded the sites which also includes their notable black flag.
Another report specified that the involved terrorist group was linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The message they posted in the hacked websites are about some derogatory statements addressed to Lt. Gen. Dahi Khalfan, Head of General Security for the Emirate of Dubai. Khalfan was observed to be vocal about crushing ISIL. Apart from Khalfan, UAE fighter pilot Major Miriam Al Mansouri was also included. In the post, her picture while leading an airstrike on ISIL last 2014. The same way they did to Khalfan, derogatory remarks were stated signed by the Youth Islamic Caliphate.
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