Top US cybersecurity diplomat's Twitter account hacked

Washington, Feb 6 (IANS) The top cybersecurity diplomat in the US, Nate Fick, has revealed his personal Twitter account was hacked.

In a tweet, Fick said that "My account has been hacked. Perils of the job."

It was not clear who was responsible for the hack or if cyber-criminals posted anything derogatory from his personal account.

According to a CNN report, US President Joe Biden in June announced to nominate Fick to lead the newly-formed Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy.

The bureau is aiming to make digital rights issues an "intrinsic part of US foreign policy" amid nation-state threats from Russia and China.

Fick was a Marine Corps veteran and former chief executive of a cybersecurity firm.

Fick was scheduled to travel to Seoul this week to discuss cybersecurity cooperation with the South Korean government.

Meanwhile, a report said that China has been orchestrating cyber attacks on both allies and competitors, adding that the countries affected include Russia, the US, Iran and South Korea.

According to the Indo Pacific Centre for Strategic Communications (IPCSC), a Chinese hacking group had launched a cyberattack on 12 Korean academic institutions.

Twelve South Korean websites attacked by a Chinese hacking group remained unable to be accessed even days after the incident.

The Chinese attackers, identifying themselves as Xiaoqiying, hacked into the websites of 12 academic organisations and institutions Sunday, including the Korea Research Institute for Construction Policy, the Korean Archaeological Society and the Korean Academy of Basic Medicine & Health Science.