'Death to France. Death to Charlie': Pro-ISIS hackers launched 'unprecedented' wave of cyber-attacks on 19,000 French websites

• France's head of cyber-defence confirmed thousands of websites hacked
• Rear Admiral Arnaud Coustelliere says scope of attacks is 'unprecidented'
• Websites of businesses, towns, universities replaced with black ISIS flag
• Message above read: 'Free Palestine. Death To France. Death To Charlie'
• US Central Command's website was recently hacked by ISIS sympathiser 

By JAY AKBAR FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 22:35 GMT, 15 January 2015 | UPDATED: 00:03 GMT, 16 January 2015

Up to 19,000 French websites have been hacked since the attacks on the Charlie Hebdo office on January 7, the country's head of cyber-defence has confirmed.

Rear Admiral Arnaud Coustilliere has said the scope and severity of the attacks is 'unprecedented'.

According to CNN Money, the French Defense Ministry and ANSSI - its version of America's National Security Agency - said they have been monitoring waves of cyber-attacks on all kinds of websites.

The websites of French businesses, religious groups, universities and municipalities were altered to display pro-Islamist messages.

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