What we know about the cyberattack of “unprecedented strength” that New Caledonia suffered this Tuesday, before the arrival of Emmanuel Macron

L’attaque s’est déroulée “peu après” l’annonce par le président Emmanuel Macron de sa venue sur l’archipel français. ILLUSTRATION UNSPLASH – MIKE BAUMEISTER

A cyberattack carried out by sending millions of emails simultaneously with the aim of saturating the Caledonian internet network targeted New Caledonia on the night of Tuesday 21 to Wednesday 22 May. Emmanuel Macron is expected in Nouméa this Wednesday evening, Paris time.

New Caledonia suffered this Tuesday, May 21, a "cyber attack of unprecedented force" which has since been "stopped", announced this Wednesday, May 22, the Caledonian government. The facts occurred "shortly after" the announcement by President Emmanuel Macron of his visit to the French archipelago.

With the aim of saturating the Caledonian network

"Last night we suffered a cyber attack of unprecedented force in New Caledonia since an access provider (to the internet) suffered an attack from outside on a IP address with the aim of saturating the Caledonian network", explained Christopher Gygès, member (Les Loyalists) of the local collegial government, at a press conference.

"Millions of e-mails were sent simultaneously to an e-mail address which was intended to saturate" the network "and to make it inoperable", he clarified. Since , the "teams from the State and the OPT (post and telecommunications office) managed to stop this attack before there was any damage important".

Emmanuel Macron on his way to Nouméa

This cyberattack occurred very shortly after the announcement of the visit of the President of the Republic to New Caledonia. Emmanuel Macron left Paris on Tuesday evening to go to New Caledonia, where he plans to set up a "mission" with still unclear contours, with the aim of calming the situation on the archipelago, scene of riots since last Monday which left six dead.