Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjártó Refuses to Summon Russian Ambassador Over 2022 Cyberattack

These cyber incidents have only recently come to public light, revealing that the traces lead to hacker groups operating on behalf of Russian intelligence.

It is believed that the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia (GRU) orchestrated the hacks on the MFA systems. These agencies have persistently targeted Hungarian government networks for at least a decade, using Hungary as a conduit to infiltrate other NATO member states’ networks.

Under the third administration of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s Cyber Defence Agency was disbanded, a move seen as a deliberate dismantling of the country’s cybersecurity infrastructure.

This disbandment led to significant communication and coordination issues among Hungary’s intelligence and government bodies, which began operating in isolation and at times in competition with each other.

Consequently, the new wave of Russian cyberattacks quickly exploited the vulnerabilities in Hungary’s system.

Hungarian diplomacy faced phishing attacks from APT28, a group linked to the GRU General Staff of Russia. The attacks were conducted through emails containing malicious software that spread throughout the MFA’s internal computer network and infected over 150 workstations in more than 90 Hungarian foreign missions worldwide.

Some of the infected government computers were connected to a remote “botnet,” which coordinated attacks on other NATO countries.

In several instances, other NATO members first detected the attacks on them originating from Hungarian government systems. This breach had staggering consequences. The vulnerability of Hungary’s IT systems compromised the protected data of allied NATO countries, causing damage that is challenging to repair.

Russian hackers’ penetration of Hungarian government networks continued both before and during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including during crisis summits of the EU and NATO focused on the invasion. Despite these severe breaches, the Hungarian government has not made any accusations against Russia regarding cyber espionage.

Broader Implications for NATO and EU Cybersecurity

The situation in Hungary underscores the broader cybersecurity risks facing NATO and the EU. Cybersecurity experts warn that the infiltration of one member state’s systems can expose the entire alliance to significant risks.

NATO and the EU rely on the collective security and integrity of each member’s digital infrastructure to safeguard shared sensitive information and coordinate defence strategies effectively.

Hungary’s stance, prioritising national interests over addressing the cyber threats from Russia, could weaken the collective cybersecurity posture of NATO and the EU. The lack of a unified response to cyber incidents sets a concerning precedent and highlights the need for stronger, more cohesive cybersecurity policies and enforcement mechanisms within the alliances.