Hobart Airport website taken offline after cyber-attack

Source:Xinhua Published: 2015-4-13 9:54:49

Hobart International Airport's website remained shut down on Monday, more than 24 hours after Tasmania Police was forced to take it offline due to a cyber- attack.

A group with ties to radical group Islamic State (IS) reportedly claimed responsibility for the computer hack on Monday.

Police shut down the website in the early hours of Sunday morning, just hours after the hackers placed a pro-radical message on the homepage.

The website has not yet been reinstated.

Tasmania Police issued a statement saying the hackers targeted the web hosts and not the airport's website itself.

It has been revealed that thousands of other sites managed by the web host have also been hacked using the same message since late last year, but police said there was no cause for concern for those using Hobart Airport.

"There were no threats made towards the Hobart Airport or flight operations to and from the airport," the statement said on Monday.

"Investigations have shown that identical messages have appeared on thousands of websites worldwide since late 2014."

The company that operates Hobart Airport also released a statement confirming the news and stated that measures would be put in place to tighten airport security as well as its online presence.

"The airport website was defaced with pro-Islamic militant messages," it said on Monday.

"The airport is working with our IT service providers to review website security protocols."

The statement apologized for any inconveniences caused, and said that authorities were working to get the website up and running as soon as possible.

Posted in: Africa

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