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A new and troubling chapter is unfolding in the cyber war between Morocco and Algeria. Following the largest data leak ever recorded in Morocco—claimed by a hacker identifying as Algerian—a group of Moroccan hackers has launched a striking counterattack. The website of Algeria’s Postal and Telecommunications Employee Mutual Fund (MGPTT) was breached, and over 13 GB of sensitive data was leaked overnight between April 9 and 10.
The Moroccan group, operating under names like «Phantom Atlas», «Phantom Morocco», and «Moroccan Cyber Forces», claimed responsibility for the attack on Telegram. They framed it as direct retaliation for the recent hacks targeting Morocco’s National Social Security Fund (CNSS) and Ministry of Employment.
In a strongly worded statement with geopolitical undertones, the hackers said they infiltrated the MGPTT’s internal systems in under 24 hours, gaining access to personal information and classified documents. They also claimed to have «accessed internal documents from Algeria’s Ministry of Labor».
A «Targeted and Disproportionate» Response
In a manifesto published in Arabic and English, the Moroccan hackers declared: «This is a direct and calculated response to the CNSS breach. […] Any future provocation will be met with a targeted and disproportionate response».
They also affirmed that the Moroccan Sahara «is not open to debate», framing their action as both political and technological. «This is not just a cyberattack. It is a message of deterrence and defiance», they stated.
A Flaw Easily Exploited, Says Expert
Cybersecurity expert Saxx, who closely monitors the digital tensions between the two nations, confirmed the seriousness of the breach. «With my tools, it’s easy to find login credentials for MGPTT platforms. These days, it’s common to see employee accounts used to launch such attacks», he explained on X (formerly Twitter).
According to Saxx, the breach of the MGPTT and Ministry of Labor highlights a deeply rooted structural vulnerability in Algeria’s cybersecurity infrastructure—something the hackers also emphasized in their message, denouncing «deep structural flaws and mismanagement» in core state institutions.
A Dangerous Escalation
This latest incident marks an escalation in the digital shadow war that Moroccan and Algerian hacker groups have been waging for months. On Wednesday, Yabiladi traced the history of this ongoing cyber-rivalry, where each offensive invites an equally forceful counter-offensive.
As attacks grow more sophisticated, targets more sensitive, and messages more politically charged, the line between cyberactivism and cyberwarfare is increasingly blurred—raising the risk of an ongoing spiral of retaliation.
As of publication, neither the Moroccan nor Algerian governments have issued official responses. The silence of state institutions stands in stark contrast to the intensity of messages exchanged online, where increasingly organized and politicized non-state actors now dominate the battlefield.
In Morocco, the head of the CNDP (National Commission for the Control of Personal Data Protection) has commented, but the DGSII (General Directorate of Information Systems Security), under the Ministry of National Defense, has yet to issue a statement.
