On July 18, 2022, the Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs declared that Chinese malicious cyber activities had targeted the Federal Interior and Defence Ministries. The attacks on the Interior Ministry were attributed to APT 27, APT 30 and APT 31 while the cyber operations targeting the Belgian Defense involved hacker groups UNC 2814, GALLIUM, and SOFTCELL. According to The Brussels Times, the attacks against the Ministry of Interior granted Chinese hackers access to the institution’s networks for two years. In addition, Belgium’s Cybersecurity Center suggested that the attacks against the Interior Ministry bore the marks of an intelligence gathering operation. The media also reported that the Ministry of Defence attacks took place in 2021 and resulted in the institution’s network being cut off from the internet for weeks with its staff unable to communicate via email.