A case of suspected cyber intrusion has emerged aboard the GNV-operated ferry FANTASTIC in the port of Sète, leading to arrests, an intelligence-led investigation, and concerns over possible state-backed interference.
Italian authorities alerted France after a remote-access malware was discovered on the vessel. The ship’s operating system is believed to have been infected with a Remote Access Trojan (RAT), a type of malware that allows hackers to gain unauthorised remote control of a system.
Two crew members — one Latvian and one Bulgarian — were detained last week after being flagged by Italian authorities. The Bulgarian national was released, while the Latvian was charged and remains in custody. The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into a suspected attempt “by an organised group to attack an automated data-processing system, with the aim of serving the interests of a foreign power”.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the incident as “a very serious matter” and confirmed that investigators are examining the possibility of foreign interference, according to reports. While not explicitly naming Russia, he stated: “These days, one country is very often behind foreign interference.”
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