Day: June 1, 2014

Poor security measures at fault for cyber attack, say government IT experts

IT experts have suggested that the scale of yesterday’s attack on government sites was due to poor security mechanisms.

Government IT experts have told Minivan News today that the hosting of multiple government sites on a single server was a security concern of which government was aware.

“Shared hosting is cheap, while having a dedicated server could be expensive. So this is a price versus security choice. But even with shared hosting if the server is secured properly it would minimise the risks,” said a cyber security official at one government institution.

Dhiraagu has today confirmed that the 117 websites defaced in yesterday’s cyber attack by a Syrian anti-war group were hosted on a single Dhiraagu server.

The Maldives’ oldest telecommunications company noted that all affected websites were fully restored last night, within twenty four hours of the attack.

“Attacking government websites is a criminal act and this is being investigated by the police now. Such attacks are carried out against many corporations and organisations around the world, even the most secure,” said Dhiraagu Public Relations Executive, Ibrahim Imjad Jaleel.

“Our engineers have assure that assured that security will be upgraded even further to ensure such an incident is not repeated in the future. It is equally important for developers to increase the security features of websites,” he added.

Shared hosting issue previously flagged

IT experts have told Minivan News today that the attack was likely to have been carried out by the manipulation of one or more vulnerable government websites hosted on a single Dhiraagu server.

“It seems that after accessing the server and gaining elevated privileges, the attacker decided to deface the websites. If it was someone with really malicious intentions they could have done more,” explained a local software engineer.

“Defacement is the least of our worries – think about what somebody could do or have probably done already. Load in exploit code on the pages and nobody would notice. It is possible to compromise thousands of Maldivians and offices,” they warned.

The case is now being investigated by the cyber crime division at the Maldives Police Services (MPS).

Ahmed Athif, head of Information & Communication Directorate at MPS said police will conduct an assessment and share the information and recommendations with the National Centre for Information Technology (NCIT) and other relevant authorities.

While he noted that this is the biggest attack of this nature to be carried out against the Maldives government, he said specific details of the case could only be revealed after a thorough investigation.

The NCIT has made no official comments regarding the issue, but a source within the centre today told Minivan News that the shared hosting of sites and other security concerns have frequently been raised during security assessments of government institutions.

In August 2013 the Elections Commission reported that their servers were continuously under attack at the time, while in the same month the Department of National Registration’s (DNR’s) ID card database with political party affiliations was leaked online.

Police later said the database was stolen from an Elections Commission web server after it had been hacked.

In March 2013 the United Nations (Maldives) website was also defaced in order for a hacker to deliver a message saying that securit on their website was insufficient.

Responsibility for yesterday’s attacks was claimed by Dr. SHA6H – an anonymous figure who has claimed to have infiltrated hundreds of similar sites across the globe over the past two years.

“This site has been hacked because of the world’s silence of three years of massacres that occur in Syria and this is still happening,” read the message left on the defaced websites, attributed to a group called the Syrian Revolution Soldiers.

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“Invisible war” being waged against nationalism and faith, says home minister

An invisible war is being waged against the Maldives’ nationalism, claimed Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer when commemorating Martyr’s Day last Thursday (May 29).

“We are under attack even today, at this very moment, and this minute and second – but in a different way. Today the targets are our thinking, creed, the good views we hold of our nation – the love for the nation, the respect for national history.”

“Today there are great efforts destroy these. This is an invisible war, weapons that cannot be touched,” said Naseer during an event held at the Olympus Theater in Malé.

Martyr’s day has been officially commemorated since 1979, in remembrance of Sultan Ali VI – commonly known as Ali Rasgefaanu – who is said to have died fighting Portuguese invaders in 1558.

The occasion was also observed by the police service, with the controversial Sheikh Adam Shameem Ibrahim advising officers of the importance of martyrdom in Islam.

Additionally, Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon warned of attempts by outside actors to enslave the nations politically and economically.

Beware of hidden enemies: home minister

The four pillars on which the Maldives stands are the Dhivehi language, Islam, the Dhivehi culture, and independence said the home minister.

Naseer stated that the foundation of Maldivian culture was Islam alongside social values such as respecting elders and women, and showing kindness towards one another.

Naseer requested people be vigilant of anyone who “casts a gaze filled with hatred” towards national properties, land, religion, and peace.

“Today we will have to face such experiences within the Maldives and from abroad. This is today’s war. You will not be martyred in this war, instead you will face death. Thinking and ideologies will be corrupted. The result would be unhappiness in both worlds,” said Naseer.

The home minister’s sentiments were also reflected in Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon’s statements on the occasion.

Recalling the sacrifices of various national heroes Dunya said that today’s globalised attacks were not waged with guns.

“In today’s world, most of the time we are uncertain about how or from where the enemies attack [us]. Attacks indented to enslave [us] come in many different forms,” said Dunya.

“In today’s world, instead of colonisation countries are being enslaved economically and politically.”

Asking whether a nation dependent on others for its basic needs can be considered independent, Dunya noted the importance of an economically independent Maldives that can protect its religion and identity.

Police commemoration

The Maldives Police Service also held a special parade at Iskandar Koshi on Thursday in order to mark the day.

Chief Guest at the ceremony, attended by Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed and Deputy Commissioner of Police Ahmed Saudi, was the controversial preacher Sheikh Adam Shameem Ibrahim.

Addressing the police parade, Sheikh Shameem said police officers should always posses the will to be martyred in defending the people and the nation.

Remarking that the country was passed onto the present generation with the hard work of Mujahidin who were martyred in defending Islam and the nation, the sheikh explained the high regard for martyrdom in Islam.

Shameem has recently prayed for the acceptance of the martyrdom of Maldivians killed in the Syrian civil war, stating that anyone who fights to glorify Islam against disbelievers are Mujahideen (Holy warriors).

He also said on his Facebook page that Nusayri (Shiah Muslims) of Syria are disbelievers “worse than Christians and Jews”.

Sheikh Shameem first came to public attention following his ‘mega-lecture’ ‘Andalus‘, during the 2013 presidential elections.

Live broadcasts of this lecture were interrupted by authorities for violating state broadcaster’s guideline, while the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party condemned the lecture accusing Shameem of inciting hatred in order to sway the electorate.

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Independent MP for Nilandhoo Abdulla Khaleel signs for PPM

Independent MP for Faafu Nilandhoo Abdulla Khaleel has signed for the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) today, bringing the ruling party’s number of MPs to 38 and the Progressive Coalition’s tally to 43 out of 85 seats.

Khaleel defeated incumbent PPM MP Abdul Muhsin Hameed by a one-vote margin – which increased to three votes following a recount – in the March 22 parliamentary polls.

Speaking to the press after signing the membership form at a ceremony in Muleeage this afternoon – attended by President Abdulla Yameen, Vice President Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed and Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb – Khaleel said he began his political career alongside friends who were currently in PPM, adding that he saw his future in the party.

“I support this government’s economic agenda very much and God willing I will have a role among Majlis members in achieving the important objectives of that agenda,” he said.

With Khaleel’s signing, four out of five independent MPs elected to the 18th People’s Majlis as well as one opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP have now joined the PPM, leaving Madaveli MP Muaz Mohamed Rasheed the sole independent.

Together with the five MPs of coalition partner Maldives Development Alliance (MDA), the governing coalition now has 43 seats – the simple majority required to pass legislation and approve presidential appointments.

The Progressive Coalition – made up of the PPM, Jumhooree Party (JP) and Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) – had however secured a combined total of 57 seats in the March 22 polls.

Following a dispute over the speaker’s post, the PPM severed its coalition agreement with the JP last week. The JP had won 15 seats.

President Yameen however told reporters at the signing ceremony today that PPM was still willing to work with the estranged coalition partner, professing “respect” for JP leader Gasim Ibrahim.

“I believe there is still the opportunity for us to work together with the JP,” he said.

While nine political appointees belonging to the JP – including Transport Minister Ameen Ibrahim – have been dismissed in the wake of the coalition’s breakup, Yameen noted that three cabinet ministers as well as board members of state-owned enterprises occupying JP slots remained in the government.

Yameen denied pressuring the JP members to sign for the ruling party to retain their government jobs, adding that it was “up to them to decide” how best to serve the nation.

The president also said that a clear majority in parliament would enable his administration to implement the PPM manifesto and carry out mega infrastructure projects.

“We wanted to keep the speaker’s post in our party for that reason as well. God willing, we will be able to carry on our government’s work swiftly when more members of the People’s Majlis join our party,” he said.

Yameen added that the party’s aim was to take the Maldives to “a whole other stage” of economic development.

Some MPs of the opposition MDP – the minority party in parliament with 25 seats – have also given assurances that they would cooperate with the executive, Yameen said.

Most MPs believe that political rivalry should be “set aside” in favour of working together in the public interest, he added.

“So God willing, our hope is to get a clear majority of the People’s Majlis in the not-so-distant future,” he said.

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Criminal Court disregarded crucial evidence to set top drug dealer free, reveals High Court ruling

The Criminal Court set a drug kingpin free after claiming that a hearing during which crucial evidence was presented never took place, a High Court ruling on May 29 has revealed.

The High Court overturned the lower court’s ruling and sentenced Hassan Yoosuf of Laamu atoll Gan Island to life in jail for trafficking 46.6 grams of cannabis products.

The Criminal Court said the state had not presented the rubber packet alleged to contain cannabis as physical evidence to the court. But both state prosecutors and Yoosuf testified at the High Court that the police brought the packet to the court on August 22, 2010.

However, the Criminal Court said it has no record of the hearing having taken place.

The High Court’s ruling also highlighted additional intentional lapses in the lower court’s verdict such as its dismissal of credible eyewitness testimony.

Police have called Yoosuf “the top drug dealer” in Laamu Atoll. He was found guilty of drug trafficking and sentenced to 30 years on a separate case in November 2011, but released by the Drug Court in February 2012 after completing a six month rehabilitation program.

No record

Yoosuf fled from the police on December 15, 2009 when the police attempted to arrest him on suspicion of drug trafficking, eyewitnesses said.

When police caught up with him, he threw away a cigarette pack into the trees on the roadside. A rubber packet containing a black substance fell out from the box, eyewitnesses said.

At the Criminal Court, Yoosuf denied charges, arguing the rubber packet presented as evidence could not have fit inside the Camel Light cigarette box.

The presiding judge then asked the state to present the evidence at court. Forensic expert Corporal Mohamed Thihamee went to court with the evidence and demonstrated how the packet could be folded to fit inside the box on August 22, 2010, but the Criminal Court later denied the hearing took place.

Thihamee also testified that the hearing took place. Yoosuf also said the evidence was presented, but said he did not remember seeing Thihamee fit the rubber packet inside the box.

Thihamee demonstrated the same during the High Court appeal.

Discrepancies

The Criminal Court also ruled there were too many discrepancies in witness statements to convict Yoosuf.

But the High Court said all four witnesses testified that they saw Yoosuf throw away the cigarette pack during the police chase and that they saw a rubber packet fall out from the box.

They further testified the police found the rubber packet caught between the fronds of a short coconut palm tree on the roadside, the High Court said.

The witness statements and the forensic report on the substance inside the packet is enough proof to convict Yoosuf, the High Court’s majority verdict found.

Dissenting judge Abdulla Hameed found Yoosuf not guilty on a procedural point, arguing the right process was not followed in compiling the forensic report. He said the junior police officer who conducted the analysis was only authorised to do so under a senior officer’s direct supervision.

But judges forming the majority opinion Azmiralda Zahir and Abdul Rauf Ibrahim said the senior police officer is not mandated to be present throughout the time of analysis, but is supposed to supervise whether all the procedures are followed correctly.

The Maldives Correctional Services recently temporarily released convicted drug kingpin Ibrahim Shafaz Abdul Razzak for medical treatment in suspect circumstances in February. But he was caught in Colombo and extradited to the Maldives in May.

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Maldives’ peacekeeping troops to be deployed over next two years

The Maldives has signed an MOU with the UN, agreeing to actively contribute to peacekeeping operations as observers and infantry.

The agreement, signed in New York by the Maldives ambassador to the UN Ahmed Sareer last week, is the first of its kind to be signed by the country.

“This agreement marks a new era in relations between the Maldives and the UN,” said Sareer upon signing the agreement with UN Under Secretary-General Hervé Ladsous.

“With the maturation of the Maldivian State, we look forward to taking up the mantle of leadership in all of our international endeavors. No matter how small the nation, all have an obligation to maintaining and sustaining the security of populations across the globe.”

A small contingent of military observers and infantry personnel will be deployed over the next two years, explained a press release from the Foreign Ministry.

An Maldives National Defence Force statement added that the participation of the Maldives’ troops would decided upon by the government.

Under Secretary-General Hervé Ladsous commented that the Maldives assistance would be invaluable to the UN’s work.

“Maldives’ experience in protecting its incredibly porous border provides invaluable expertise in addressing modern threats, including the prevention of; piracy, trafficking and maritime conflict,” said Lasdous.

Shortly after assuming office last November, the government of President Abdulla Yameen revealed that the country’s foreign policy would involve promoting Islamic characteristics internationally, and increasing South Asian regional cooperation.

The initial parliamentary approval for Maldivian participation in UN peacekeeping missions was granted in October 2011 although there was some opposition at the time from those who argued that Maldivians ought not to be involved in foreign conflicts.

As well as 11 dissenting MPs, religious NGO Jamiyyathul Salaf expressed concerns that Maldivians would be forced to fight against fellow-Muslims.

“Taking part in the UN peacekeeping operations will force Maldivian forces to fight against Muslims which is unacceptable,” said a statement from Jamiyyathul Salaf at the time.

“Disregarding our own society and getting involved in these matters for the sake of earning respect from powerful countries shows how much the future of this nation is being disregarded,” said Salaf.

After approval by the cabinet in early 2011, the President’s Office expressed hope that the arrangement would enhance understanding of the international security environment as well as consolidating the country’s credibility internationally.

The ensuing two years since the approval of peacekeeping involvement has seen a series of damning UN reports  – notably on the Maldives’ judiciary and human rights record – often resulting in terse responses from the government.

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Tourist arrivals increase 16 percent in April

Tourist arrivals in April increased 16 percent in annual terms, reaching 105,309 guests during the month, but declined marginally compared to March, according to the Maldives Monetary Authority’s (MMA) latest monthly economic review.

A total of 105,560 tourist arrivals were recorded during the previous month.

“The annual increase in arrival was contributed by the increase in the number of arrivals from Asia and Europe,” the review stated.

“In April 2014, total bednights rose by nine percent in annual terms while the average duration of stay declined by six percent. As for the occupancy rate, it increased to 80 percent in April 2014 from 75 percent in April 2013, as the impact of the increase in bednights was greater than the increase in operational bed capacity of the industry during the review month.”

The central bank had explained in its monthly review for March that the annual increase in tourist arrivals was due to the rise in the number of Chinese tourists, “which offset the decline in arrivals from Europe.”

According to statistics from the Tourism Ministry for the first quarter of 2014, Europe retained the largest market share despite the continuing growth of the Chinese market, accounting for of 51.3 percent of all arrivals to the Maldives.

Asia and the Pacific recorded a growth rate of 24.4 percent at the end of first quarter, bringing in an additional 26,606 tourists to reach a total of 135,839.

The region accounted for 42.2 percent of arrivals to the Maldives at the end of first quarter of 2014.

The Chinese market also expanded by 24 percent with an additional 16,960 tourists compared with the same period of 2013.

A total of 331,719 Chinese tourists visited the Maldives last year, which was a 44.5 percent increase from the previous year.

Chinese tourists accounted for 29.5 percent of all tourist arrivals in 2013.

The Maldivian economy is largely dependent on tourism, which accounted for 28 percent of GDP on average in the past five years, and generated 38 percent of government revenue in 2012.

Real GDP growth is meanwhile expected to accelerate to 4.5 percent in 2014, “driven mainly by the tourism sector” while “economic activity is also expected to be spurred by the government budgeted expenditure of MVR16.4 billion.”

Inflation

The rate of inflation in the capital Malé – measured by the annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) – reached 2.6 percent in April, up from 2.3 percent the previous month.

The inflation rate in February 2014 was 3.4 percent.

“This was largely contributed by the pick up in the growth of food prices, especially fish, and also due to the moderate growth in rent prices and cost of health services,” the review explained.

“On monthly terms, the rate of inflation increased from -0.5 percent in March 2014 to 0.3 percent in April 2014, which was mainly due to the growth in fish prices.”

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) commodity price index meanwhile registered an increase of one percent in monthly terms and three percent in annual terms in April.

“The monthly increase was mainly due to the increase in prices of petroleum, food and metal prices. As for the annual increase, it was due to the increase in food and petroleum prices as metal prices fell during the review period.”

“The price of crude oil increased by one percent in monthly terms and by six percent in annual terms to US$104.9 per barrel at the end of April 2014,” the review stated.

Gross international reserves meanwhile grew by 24 percent in April compared to the same period last year, reaching US$434.8 million by the end of the month. The gross reserves however declined by 13 percent in April in monthly terms.

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39-year-old arrested in Raa atoll for alleged exploitation of a minor

Police have arrested a 39-year-old Male in Raa atoll on suspicions of sexually exploiting a 14-year-old girl.

The man, from Alifushi Island, was detained yesterday (May 31) and will be remanded in custody for 15 days, police have revealed.

A growing number of child abuse cases have been reported to police in recent weeks, with the Human Rights Commission calling for greater awareness raising and legal protection for children.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Gender has explained that cultural and jurisdictional issues were to blame for the failure to compile a legally mandated registry of child abusers.

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Belgian resort worker still missing at sea

Attempts by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) to locate a Belgian national, missing since Friday, have as yet been unsuccessful.

Olivier Louis Albert Lieux, a 35-year-old Assistant Food and Beverages Manager at Four Seasons Resort Kuda Huraa, went missing after his dinghy capsized while reef fishing near Paradise Island resort, reports local media.

He is reported by the MNDF to have been last seen wearing a dark-blue t-shirt and white shorts.

After a large wave overturned the vessel, Lieux’s colleagues swam to shore only to realise he was not with them on their arrival, reported media.

The MNDF has said its search will continue from both the sea and the air.

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President Yameen pledges additional MVR1 million for national football team

After gifting MVR1 million to the national team for making it to the Asian Football Federation (AFC) Challenge Cup’s semi finals, President Abdulla Yameen has promised an additional million to the team.

Speaking to news agency Haveeru, Minister of Youth and Sports Mohamed Maleeh Jamal said the additional million is to recognise the good reputation the football team has brought to the Maldives and to encourage the team to more success.

The money is to be handed over this week. It is not clear if the money will be distributed from the state budget.

The Maldives lost the semi-final against the Philippines last week. Prior to the match, Yameen had promised one million rufiyaa if the national team won the Challenge Cup.

Palestine were the eventual winners, beating the Philippines on Friday (May 30).

Jumhooree Party leader Gasim Ibrahim has also gifted MVR 500,000 to the team.

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