Syria Investigates Foreign Ministry Cyberattack After Telegram Leak of Sensitive Documents

Syria said it is investigating a cyberattack after “leaked sensitive information from the foreign ministry” appeared online on a Telegram channel called “Syrian foreign ministry leaks.”

“The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today, Thursday, that it has opened an investigation into a cyber attack that led to the disclosure of sensitive information, via publishing documents on a Telegram page dedicated to this matter”

Al-Jazeera Net

In a statement carried by SANA, the ministry said it had begun “taking the necessary measures to verify and investigate the leaked documents.”

Al-Jazeera Net

The documents, most dated from after the fall of longtime Syrian ruler Bashar Assad in 2024, included “official correspondence between embassies” and “information on Syrian expats” as well as “employee salaries.”

The ministry said Syrian consulates and the ministry’s duties were continuing “as normal,” while it said it would “contain its repercussions, and hold accountable all those found to be involved.”

While Syria framed the incident as a cyberattack, a knowledgeable source at the Syrian Foreign Ministry told The New Arab that “what happened was not a technical hack of the ministry's systems, but a data leak by one of the staff members working in the office.”

The New Arab also described circulating claims that the amount of leaked data “approaches 19 gigabytes” and included scanned documents, internal correspondence and letters, payrolls and expenses for external missions, and costs of furnishing offices inside Syria and at embassies.

News of Bahrain

The Media and Communications Administration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said in a statement carried by SANA that it had from the outset taken “the necessary measures to verify and scrutinize what had been circulated of documents and correspondences attributed to the ministry.”

The ministry urged media and citizens to rely on official sources, warning that some circulated materials may have been “manipulated or digitally altered.”

Syria’s Foreign Ministry said it would carry out “a comprehensive investigation to determine the source, mechanism, and scope of the leak,” and to take legal and judicial actions to hold accountable anyone found involved.

“Syria launches probe after Foreign Ministry cyberattack leaks sensitive documents online Email: online@newsofbahrain”

News of Bahrain

The leaked archive described by multiple outlets was said to include thousands of files, including “official correspondence between embassies” and administrative and financial records such as payroll sheets and expenses of official missions.

The Media and Communications Administration said the ministry began coordinating with “the relevant technical departments and security authorities” to conduct a comprehensive investigation aimed at identifying the leak’s source, mechanism, and scope.

In parallel, the ministry stressed that its “operations and consular and diplomatic services continue normally,” while it said it would take “the necessary steps to protect information security and official documents.”