Several official Syrian government accounts on the social media platform X were briefly taken over in a cyberattack, according to a statement from the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology on Tuesday. The incident has sparked concerns over the security of state digital assets as regional tensions escalate.
The Ministry confirmed it lost control of multiple accounts but managed to restore access after coordinating with platform administrators to halt further abuse. In a Facebook post, officials noted that specialists at the National Information Security Center are investigating and planning stricter governance rules for official accounts. Cybersecurity was described as a “shared responsibility,” with new regulations expected soon.
The attackers remain unidentified, but before the accounts were recovered, some carried posts with pro-Israel messages, based on activity logs, hinting at a possible political agenda. At least 10 accounts were hit, including those of the General Secretariat of the Presidency, the Syrian Central Bank, and ministries overseeing transport, higher education, education, and youth and sports, as well as the Supreme Committee for People’s Assembly Elections. The extent of the breach—whether it involved internal data or just unauthorized posts—remains unclear.
Technology expert Alaa Ghazzal remarked that without detailed technical data and digital evidence, it’s “not possible to determine the responsible party.” He added that the incident “indicates weaknesses in management and protection mechanisms of official accounts” and requires a thorough investigation.
The attack occurred on the third day of the escalating conflict involving Iran, amplifying worries about Syria’s digital resilience during periods of regional strain.