A hacking group, Silent Crow, working in conjunction with the Belarusian Cyber Partisans, has claimed a significant cyber-attack on Aeroflot that resulted in the cancellation of numerous flights within and beyond Russia.
Pro-Ukrainian Hackers Target Aeroflot in Major Cyber Attack
Pro-Ukrainian Hackers Target Aeroflot in Major Cyber Attack
Pro-Ukraine hacker group claims responsibility for disrupting Russian airline's operations.
Russia's national airline, Aeroflot, recently revealed that it had to cancel over 40 flights following a cyber-attack orchestrated by the hacker group Silent Crow, which claims to operate in support of Ukraine. In a statement published on Telegram, Silent Crow announced that, along with assistance from the Belarusian group Cyber Partisans, they executed a "prolonged and large-scale operation" that they assert "completely destroyed" Aeroflot's IT systems.
As a consequence of this attack, Aeroflot reported not only the cancellation of flights, particularly affecting routes within Russia and to Belarus and Armenia, but also significant delays in their operations. The Kremlin expressed concerns over the incident, labeling it as "worrying."
Moreover, Silent Crow has threatened to leak personal information of all Russians who have ever traveled with Aeroflot, adding to the tension surrounding the incident. Their post concluded with a slogan of support for Ukraine and Belarus, reflecting a political stance amidst the ongoing conflict.
The Belarusian group Cyber Partisans confirmed their involvement, stating their commitment to aiding Ukrainians in fighting against what they refer to as the occupier. Russian MP Anton Gorelkin remarked on the incident, highlighting that the warfare against Russia encompasses multiple fronts, including cyber operations.
While verifying claims made by hacker groups can be challenging, the Russian prosecutor's office acknowledged that there indeed was a failure in Aeroflot’s information system due to a hacker attack and announced the initiation of a criminal investigation.
In response to the chaos caused by the attack, many passengers have been reassigned to flights operated by other airlines, as reported by the transport ministry. The ongoing struggle between pro-Ukrainian and pro-Russian hacktivist groups has intensified since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, resulting in widespread implications for travel disruptions across Russia.
This incident exemplifies the potential immediate impacts of cyber warfare on major corporations, affecting thousands of civilians, as these digital confrontations shape the operational landscape in the current geopolitical climate.
