{
	"id": "833c6562-939b-42f5-b4f5-9493e8fd7e73",
	"created_at": "2026-04-06T00:10:35.916181Z",
	"updated_at": "2026-04-10T03:21:54.532367Z",
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	"sha1_hash": "d8aeb3f9bbfd26f0c17ed506d44c1304d99f9918",
	"title": "‘The tables have turned, and candidates are now asking more questions’",
	"llm_title": "",
	"authors": "",
	"file_creation_date": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
	"file_modification_date": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
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	"plain_text": "‘The tables have turned, and candidates are now asking more\r\nquestions’\r\nBy Sponsored, Contributors\r\nPublished: 2021-04-20 · Archived: 2026-04-05 22:32:38 UTC\r\nCyber-attackers hold PN to ransom with major data leak threat\r\nPN sources confirm hackers have 'attempted negotiation'\r\nHackers have threatened the Nationalist Party, claiming they will leak valuable party data if their demands aren't\r\nmet within ten days. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli\r\nHackers have threatened to leak \"valuable\" Nationalist Party documents, unless the party agrees to \"communicate\r\nand cooperate\" with them in 10 days.  \r\nThe operators of 'Avaddon ransomware' have already published a selection of documents, including employee\r\ndetails, passport pictures and a studio rota on the dark web. \r\nA party source confirmed to Times of Malta that the documents appear to be genuine PN data and that the hackers\r\nhave made an attempt to negotiate with them.\r\nhttps://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/cyber-attackers-hold-pn-to-ransom-with-major-data-leak-threat.865968\r\nPage 1 of 3\n\nOn Monday night, the PN revealed it was the victim of an attack on its IT system and that some of its information\r\nmay have been accessed. \r\nIn a post on the dark web claiming responsibility for the attack on Monday, the hackers said they would give the\r\nPN 240 hours to “communicate and cooperate with us”.\r\n“If this does not happen before the time counter expires, we will leak valuable company documents,” it says.\r\n“We have company financial data, salary payments, employees’ personal documents, banking, private client data,\r\npayment documents and much more.”\r\nScreenshot of avaddon ransomeware website which carries sensitive PN documents\r\nIt also warned that it would carry out what’s known as a DDoS attack, which is an attempt to take a website\r\noffline by overwhelming it with internet traffic.\r\nThe group’s threat is known as ‘triple extortion’, involving the threat of extortion, data theft and disabling a\r\nwebsite. \r\nA party source confirmed the information posted on the dark website appears to be genuine PN data.\r\nThe source said the scale of the attack is yet to be established. Police are expected to visit PN HQ as a magisterial\r\ninquiry led by Victor Axiak is under way.\r\nThe source also confirmed the hackers had attempted to negiotiate, but did not elaborate on what amounts of\r\nmoney they are asking for.\r\nhttps://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/cyber-attackers-hold-pn-to-ransom-with-major-data-leak-threat.865968\r\nPage 2 of 3\n\nA PN spokesperson said: “What happens in these cases is that the hackers attack the system and then demand a\r\nransom. We are not in contact with the hackers and there is an inquiry looking into this issue.”\r\nAfter announcing that its IT system was attacked, the party said it had taken immediate action to contain the\r\ndamage and informed the data commissioner and the police so that they could investigate. \r\nIn April, last year the commissioner launched an investigation after a database containing 337,384 records of\r\nMaltese voters' personal information was leaked after it was reportedly left exposed by a Maltese IT company\r\nwhose owners had links to the Labour Party.\r\nSource: https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/cyber-attackers-hold-pn-to-ransom-with-major-data-leak-threat.865968\r\nhttps://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/cyber-attackers-hold-pn-to-ransom-with-major-data-leak-threat.865968\r\nPage 3 of 3",
	"extraction_quality": 1,
	"language": "EN",
	"sources": [
		"ETDA"
	],
	"references": [
		"https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/cyber-attackers-hold-pn-to-ransom-with-major-data-leak-threat.865968"
	],
	"report_names": [
		"cyber-attackers-hold-pn-to-ransom-with-major-data-leak-threat.865968"
	],
	"threat_actors": [],
	"ts_created_at": 1775434235,
	"ts_updated_at": 1775791314,
	"ts_creation_date": 0,
	"ts_modification_date": 0,
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