British spies are likely to have hacked into Belgium’s biggest telecommunications operator for at least a two-year period on the instruction of UK ministers, a confidential report submitted by Belgian prosecutors is said to have concluded. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Whistleblower Edward Snowden five years ago leaked 20 slides exposing the targets of hacking by GCHQ. Photograph: Marcos Brindicci / Reuters/ReutersThe British spies are said to have targeted the computers of Belgacom employees working in security and maintenance with faked LinkedIn messages. The interception would have provided access to communications at Nato headquarters in Brussels and at key European institutions including the European commission, European parliament, and the European Council. The Belgian government, a major shareholder in Belgacom, has spent €50m on improving the company’s security in the wake of the hacking scandal.

Source: The Guardian September 21, 2018 17:03 UTC