KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 ― The Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) confirmed that there was a cyber attack on its data network yesterday.

ATM Commander General Tan Sri Affendi Buang said the incident was detected by the Defence Cyber and Electromagnetic Division (BSEP), as well as the ATM Cyber Defence Operations Centre (CDOC).

However, he said the attack only involved certain segments that had been placed out of the network from the very beginning and did not affect the actual operation of the portal.

"Soon as the attack began, BSEP and CDOC implemented data traffic segregation for the purpose of obscuring the actual location of the classified data and thus protecting the network targeted by hackers.

"The ATM is also aware of the ongoing cyber attack attempts on the information network owned by the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) and  ATM,” he said in a statement today.

Affendi said the cyber security aspect of ATM is always on stand-by to ensure any threat to disrupt the defence communication network can be detected early and handled properly.

"ATM always monitors and enhances the aspects of cyber security from time to time, especially through the role of BSEP and CDOC, which not only strengthen the ATM communication monitoring and defence network, but also protect the national defence strategic communication network,” he said.

Yesterday, the ATM web portal was  believed to have been hacked by irresponsible parties by displaying indecent pictures on the portal at about 12 noon. ― Bernama