Canada's CBC websites hacked by pro-Syrian group

Canadian national broadcaster CBC said Thursday hackers had briefly compromised its website in an attack claimed by supporters of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad.

Several other media websites said they were also affected, including Britain's Independent and Telegraph newspapers.

Users on CBC's English website were met with a pop-up window that stated, "You've been hacked by the Syrian Electronic Army (SEA)."

The group, which backs Syria's government, has previously hacked accounts of Skype, as well as The New York Times, Agence France-Presse and many other media organizations.

The problem appeared to have been rectified by about 9:00 am (1400 GMT).

In April 2013, financial markets briefly plunged after the SEA hacked The Associated Press's Twitter account and falsely reported that President Barack Obama had been injured after two blasts at the White House.

© 2014 AFP