Turkish hackers claim responsibility for mass attack on Greek state websites

The Greek National Intelligence service was among several top Greek state and government websites that went down on 17 January due to a wholesale cyber attack for which an ultra-nationalist Turkish hackers group with apparently strong neo-Ottoman sympathies named Anka Neferler Tim  has claimed responsibility.

Greek authorities proceeded to shut down servers to prevent statements from being posted on the affected websites.

The group took responsibility for the attack in a tweet - Twitter has since shut down the account - in which it lists the targets that were attacked.

"Greece is threatening Turkey in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean. Now it is threatening the [Berlin] conference on Libya. Greece seems to be itching [for a bruising]," the group said in its statement claiming responsibility for the hacking of the following websites:

National Intelligence Service -http://www.nis.gr
Greek Parliament -https://www.hellenicparliament.gr
Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs-https://www.mfa.gr
Athens Stock Exchange-https://www.athexgroup.gr
Greek e-State-http://www.e-gif.gov.gr
Greek Finance Ministry-https://minfin.gr

Greek authorities confirmed the hacking.

The German tabloid Bild reported that German President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pressured German Chancellor Angela Merkel who is hosting the Berlin Libya peace conference in cooperation with the UN to bar Greece from attending.

With Turkey hosting over three million migrants and refugees from Syria and elsewhere it is using the threat of unleashing waves of migrants and refugees toward Europe to blackmail Greece, Germany and the EU more generally.

Greece is the most vulnerable as the point of first entry into the EU.