Russian hackers breach Hungarian and Slovak government systems

Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups linked to Russian intelligence services have infiltrated the Hungarian foreign ministry's security network and Slovak government servers. The first public disclosure of the attacks appeared in March 2022, and new evidence presented in 2024 confirms that the intrusions accessed sensitive diplomatic data.

The Russian‑linked Turla group, among the oldest and most dangerous APTs, is also reported to have targeted Slovak railway infrastructure. Officials in both countries claim they were unaware of the breaches; Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó denied prior knowledge, while the Slovak foreign ministry officially acknowledged the incidents and labeled them as highly dangerous. The campaign is said to have affected additional European nations, including Poland, Germany, France, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Romania, Finland and Austria, targeting ministries and critical infrastructure such as railways.

No immediate political repercussions have been reported, but the attacks underscore ongoing cyber‑security vulnerabilities within EU governmental institutions.