The Kremlin has described reviews of a cyber-attack on Russia’s nationwide provider Aeroflot as “worrying” after the airline was compelled to cancel dozens of flights.
A press release purporting to be from pro-Ukraine hacking group Silent Crow mentioned it carried out the assault, along with a Belarusian group.
It claimed on Telegram that its “extended and large-scale operation… fully destroyed” Aeroflot’s IT techniques.
Aeroflot mentioned it had cancelled greater than 40 flights – principally inside Russia but additionally together with routes to Belarus and Armenia – due to a difficulty with its info techniques. Many different flights had been delayed.
Silent Crow additionally threatened to launch “the private information of all Russians who’ve ever flown Aeroflot”.
“Glory to Ukraine! Lengthy stay Belarus!”, the publish concluded.
The Belarusian group, which calls itself the Cyberpartisans, mentioned on its web site: “We are serving to Ukrainians of their struggle with the occupier, finishing up a cyber strike on Aeroflot and paralysing the biggest airline in Russia.”
Hacker teams routinely exaggerate their successes and whether or not this newest assault causes any lasting disruption stays to be seen. The BBC hasn’t been capable of confirm any of Silent Crow’s claims.
Nevertheless, the Russian prosecutor’s workplace confirmed there had been “a failure within the operation of the Aeroflot info system on account of a hacker assault” and mentioned a legal investigation had been opened.
Quite a few passengers could be transferred to flights operated by different carriers, the transport ministry mentioned.
Anton Gorelkin, a Russian MP, mentioned in a press release: “We should not overlook that the warfare towards our nation is being waged on all fronts, together with the digital one.”
Professional-Russian and pro-Ukrainian hacking teams have been extraordinarily energetic since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 – however it’s onerous to know when their boasts about numerous cyber-attacks are backed up with info.
These gangs are sometimes run by volunteers who goal organisations and exaggerate their assaults to make headlines and degrade enemy morale.
This assault is a uncommon one that’s having a visual and instant impression on a significant Russian firm, affecting tens of 1000’s of civilians in addition to the agency.
Silent Crow mentioned they labored with the long-established Belarusian hacker group Cyber Partisans, which has been finishing up assaults towards targets in Russia and Belarus since 2022. Cyber Partisans describes itsself as “a extremely organised hacktivist collective that’s combating for the liberation of Belarus from dictatorial rule”.
While many teams declare to be “hacktivists” – activist hackers – proof factors to a few of having shut ties with safety companies of the nations they help.
Since Moscow’s troops launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, travellers in Russia usually face disruption – often owing to assaults by Ukrainian drones.
Earlier in July lots of of flights had been cancelled at Moscow’s 4 predominant airports following a sustained Ukrainian drone assault, affecting tens of 1000’s of individuals.
