RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY REPORTS ‘LARGE-SCALE’ CYBERATTACK ON ITS RESOURCES

Wed 23 October 2024:

Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday reported a “large-scale” cyberattack on its resources ahead of a press briefing.

“Specialists are working to restore the functionality of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s resources in connection with a large-scale DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) attack,” Maria Zakharova, the ministry spokeswoman, told the state news agency Tass.

Indicating that the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry is not accessible, Zakharova further said the ministry’s press briefing has been postponed from 10 a.m. (0700GMT) to 2 p.m. local time (1100GMT).

“Specialists are working to restore the functionality of the resources of the Russian Foreign Ministry,” she added.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the country has faced an unprecedented wave of cyberattacks. These cyberattacks have targeted critical Russian infrastructure, government websites, and private sectors, aiming to disrupt communication, financial systems, and military operations. Hacktivist groups like Anonymous openly declared a “cyberwar” on Russia, conducting a series of attacks that led to website defacements, data leaks, and denial-of-service (DDoS) assaults.

Ukraine’s IT Army, a volunteer group of hackers, has also played a significant role, focusing on disabling Russian digital infrastructure. Additionally, Western intelligence agencies have provided cyber support to Ukraine, intensifying the cyber battlefield.

These cyberattacks have become a key part of the broader conflict, weakening Russia’s digital defenses while also highlighting the growing role of cyber warfare in modern conflicts.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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