Al-Jazeera reported Thursday that their "websites and digital platforms" in Doha were under intense cyberattacks of "various forms." However, the platforms were not compromised.
Why it matters: Q-CERT, Qatar's government-sponsored organization responsible for protecting Al-Jazeera and other outlets from cyber attacks, has twice in the past month failed to prevent hacks on news agencies in the country. A successful hack on Qatar News Agency in late May 2017 falsely quoted the ruler of Qatar as voicing support for Iran, and reportedly helped spark a diplomatic crisis.
Timeline:
May 23: Fake report with pro-Iran statements briefly posted on Qatar News Agency, the country's state-sponsored news agency.
June 5: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and other Gulf States cut ties with Qatar for various reasons.
June 7: Confirmation that Qatar News Agency was hacked.
