**France Probes 'Foreign Interference' After Remote Control Malware Found on Passenger Ferry**

PARIS (AP) — In a chilling display of cyber warfare, France's counterespionage agency is investigating a suspected cyberattack plot targeting an international passenger ferry. The incident has raised concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to foreign interference.

The probe was launched after intelligence shared by Italian authorities tipped off the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSE) that software used by cybercriminals may have infected computer systems aboard a ferry docked in the French Mediterranean port of Sete. The software, known as RAT (Remote Access Tool), allows users to control computer systems remotely and could have been used to take control of the ferry's computers.

According to the Paris prosecutor's office, police arrested two crew members from the ferry - one Latvian, the other Bulgarian - who Italian authorities had identified as suspects. The Bulgarian national was released without charge after questioning, while the Latvian is being held on a preliminary criminal conspiracy charge and two preliminary charges of hacking-related offenses with the goal of serving the interests of an unnamed foreign power.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez hinted that Russia may be suspected in the incident, saying "At the moment, foreign interference very often comes from same country." France and other European allies of Ukraine have long accused Russia of waging "hybrid warfare" against them, using sabotage, assassinations, cyberattacks, disinformation, and other hostile acts.

Nunez described the incident as "a very serious affair," adding that "individuals tried to gain access to a ship's data-processing system." When asked if the suspected intention was to hijack the vessel, he replied, "We don't know." The ferry is now back in operation after being held in port for security checks on its computer system.

The investigation has sparked concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to foreign interference. With the increasing use of technology in everyday life, governments and industries are becoming increasingly reliant on complex systems that can be exploited by cyber attackers.

France's counterespionage agency is working closely with Italian authorities to unravel the mystery behind the suspected cyberattack plot. The case has also raised questions about the role of foreign powers in interfering with critical infrastructure, a phenomenon that has become more prevalent in recent years.

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