“Albania exposed to hybrid attacks” — AKSK: Those from Iran dominate, but also from other foreign actors such as Russia

Hybrid threats and cyber attacks have become an inseparable part of various countries, including Albania, during recent years.

According to the National Cyber Security Authority, the attacks are considerable, even at the start of the protests in June.

“There are around 20 incidents, of which 4 attacks for data leaks, and they are from the traditional actors such as Iran, but there has also been no lack of those linked to Russia or China. In June we also had interventions and manipulations linked to disinformation and to the massification of the protest,” said the general director of AKSK, Bledar Kazia.

“There have been past cases of Iranian cyber activity focused on Albania, which I think is a really concrete example, but I would say that the information environment in which we currently work across Europe continues to be constantly targeted by hybrid threat actors, especially as regards disinformation,” said the director of the Hybrid Influences Community, Martha Turnbull.

Not only cyber attacks, but also disinformation remains another worrying problem, according to the Audiovisual Media Authority.

Hybrid threats and the impact that these phenomena have on the media environment were part of the workshop held in Tirana by local and international experts.