26 January 2017, 01:29 GMT
PARIS (Sputnik) — French network security system detected and thwarted foreign cyberattacks during the first round of the Socialist party’s primaries, Thomas Clay, the president of the High Authority for the Left-wing Primaries, said Friday.
“There could have been both fraud and cyberattacks … They were stopped by the network security system, which appeared to be extremely effective,” Clay said as aired on iTele television channel.
He noted that the cyberattacks were carried out from the outside of France, adding that more detailed information on the matter would be provided the following week.
24 January 2017, 20:58 GMT
The first round of the Socialist primaries took place in on January 22. According to the results obtained from polling stations, former Education Minister Benoit Hamon came first as he received 36.3 percent of votes, ex-Prime Minister Manuel Valls got 31.48 percent, while ex-Minister of Economy Arnaud Montebourg finished third, securing support of 17.52 percent of voters.
The second round of French Socialist party’s primaries is scheduled for January 29.
