MOSCOW: Ukrainian and Belarusian hacker groups have claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on Russia’s national airline Aeroflot, causing significant flight disruptions.
The attack, which targeted Aeroflot’s IT systems, led to the grounding of at least 64 flights on Monday and the cancellation of 14 more scheduled for Tuesday.
Russia’s state prosecutor’s office confirmed the incident as a “hacking attack,“ launching a criminal investigation.
Aeroflot described the issue as a “breakdown in the IT system,“ though passengers reported widespread cancellations.
“We’ve already arrived at the airport and found out that the flight has been cancelled,“ said Mikhail, a stranded traveler at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport.
“This is not the first flight cancelled in July for us. It’s sad, it’s impossible to plan business trips.”
The Ukrainian hacking group Silent Crow and Belarusian Cyber Partisans jointly claimed responsibility.
“We announce the successful completion of a long-term and large-scale operation that resulted in the complete compromise and destruction of the internal IT infrastructure of Aeroflot,“ they stated.
Cyber Partisans highlighted weak security measures, alleging that Aeroflot’s CEO Sergei Alexandrovsky had not updated his password since 2022.
The group also accused the airline of relying on outdated software, including Windows XP and Windows 2003.
The hackers suggested they might release personal data of Aeroflot passengers, though Russia’s cybersecurity watchdog Roskomnadzor has not confirmed any breach.
Aeroflot assured passengers that it was “working to restore normal operation as quickly as possible,“ noting that most flights remained on schedule.
The Kremlin expressed concern, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating, “We will, of course, clarify the information and wait for an appropriate explanation.”
The incident adds to growing tensions over cyberwarfare, with Ukraine and its allies accusing Russia of state-backed hacking campaigns.
Earlier this month, Europol dismantled a pro-Russian hacking group linked to thousands of attacks against Ukraine and its supporters. - AFP
