HUR Hacks Russian Internet Provider, Shuts Down Access to 4 Siberian Cities

Cyber specialists from Ukraine’s defense intelligence directorate (HUR) launched a cyberattack against major Russian internet providers ahead of Russia’s May holiday celebrations. They targeted companies such as “SibSeti” which left thousands of users without internet access, an intelligence source told Kyiv Post on condition of anonymity.

Between April 30 and May 2, Russian media outlets and Telegram channels were flooded with complaints from users unable to access internet services. The disruption was caused by powerful distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks that overwhelmed and disabled the SibSeti servers in the Novosibirsk, Novokuznetsk, Kemerovo, and Krasnoyarsk regions of Siberia.

Representatives of the internet provider confirmed the DDoS attacks, reporting failures in their “My SibSeti” mobile app and user portal, urging customers to stop calling support hotlines as the flood of complaints was further overloading their systems.

SibSeti (short for “Siberian Networks”) was founded in 2004 and provides broadband internet, IP telephony, and digital TV services to 39 cities across Siberia.

Hackers from HUR and other Ukrainian intelligence agencies have systematically attacked Russia’s digital networks and infrastructure over recent months.

Last January HUR conducted a cyberattack on Russia’s oil giant Lukoil, paralyzing payment systems and digital platforms during the holiday season and causing widespread chaos and losses, according to an anonymous agency source.

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As a result of the attack, the company’s digital resources were compromised, preventing customers from making payments at gas stations via the mobile app.

“Between Dec. 30 and Jan. 1, HUR specialists carried out a new cyberattack targeting Russia’s oil sector,” another source said.

Last December HUR cyber experts successfully launched a cyberattack against Gazprombank, one of Russia’s largest financial institutions.

According to the source, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the institution on Nov. 21. Its clientele includes approximately 3 million individuals and 45,000 legal entities.

Last October, Kyiv’s HUR Cyber Corps attacked Russia’s North Caucasus University, destroying over 150 terabytes of data and weakening the training of military technical specialists.

HUR struck several online sites linked to the supply lines of the Russian military a HUR source told Kyiv Post on Oct. 4. As a result of the attack, hackers were able to infiltrate websites that support Russia’s military logistics network and gather information on the movement of military personnel. One of the most significant targets was the okrug.ru site, which supplies Russian troops with various types of equipment and uniforms.