Thu Sep 12 08:52:00 UTC 2024: ## Pacific Islands Forum Hacked Ahead of High-Stakes Summit
**WELLINGTON, New Zealand:** The Pacific Islands Forum, a regional organization comprising 18 nations, has been the victim of a malicious cyber attack, New Zealand confirmed on Thursday. The hack, discovered prior to a recent summit in Tonga, has raised concerns about growing cyber threats in the region.
The attack was detected during preparations for the August summit, which was dominated by the intensifying rivalry between China and the United States for influence in the Pacific. Forum staff identified a breach at the organization’s headquarters in Fiji.
New Zealand, a key partner of the Forum, acknowledged the cyber incident, expressing concern about the increasing number of malicious attacks targeting regional organizations. While the perpetrator remains unidentified, the severity of the breach prompted Australia to deploy a rapid response team to assist the Forum at its request.
The Forum has garnered significant global attention as China actively seeks to expand its presence in the region, challenging the US and its allies. The organization’s members include nations with close ties to Washington, others who favor Beijing, and some who maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
Recent tensions escalated when Solomon Islands, China’s key South Pacific partner, advocated for removing Taiwan’s development partner status within the Forum. The August summit resulted in a joint declaration seemingly reaffirming support for Taiwan’s limited participation, but this wording ignited Chinese diplomatic pressure.
The Forum ultimately reissued the declaration without the Taiwan-related paragraph, citing an error in its inclusion.
Following reports in Australian media suggesting Chinese involvement in the hack, China’s foreign ministry vehemently denied any connection, labeling the allegations as false information fabricated for political gain.
The hack has underscored the vulnerabilities of regional organizations and highlighted the growing cyber threat in the Pacific. The incident comes amidst heightened geopolitical tensions, raising concerns about potential interference in regional affairs.
First Piper 