Ukrainian Hackers Claim To Have Destroyed Major Russian Drone Maker's Entire Network
In a shocking move, a group of Ukrainian hackers known as BO Team has announced that they have successfully breached and destroyed the network of one of Russia's largest military drone manufacturers, Gaskar Group. According to reports, the hacking collective, which also claimed credit for the operation alongside the Ukrainian Cyber Alliance, has wiped out 47TB of production data and even disabled the doors in the facility.
"Or, as described by the hacking collective (per Google translate), they 'deeply penetrated' the drone manufacturer 'to the very tonsils of demilitarization and denazification,'" reports The Register. From the report: BO Team (also known as Black Owl) announced the breach on its Telegram channel, and claimed to have carried out the operation alongside fellow hackers the Ukrainian Cyber Alliance "and one very well-known organization, the mention of which makes Vanya's bottle receivers explode," according to a Google translation of the Russian text.
The Scope of the Breach
The extent of the breach is staggering. According to reports, BO Team claims to have destroyed all 47TB of technical information about the production of Russian drones on Gaskar's servers, including 10TB of backup files. This includes sensitive information about the design and manufacturing process of the drones, as well as valuable data on future drone development.
Additionally, BO Team also posted what they claim to be confidential employee questionnaires [PDF] on their own Telegram channel. The Ukrainian Cyber Alliance also stole "all the source code" before destroying everything. "The network went down so thoroughly that the doors in the building were blocked," the pro-Ukraine crew wrote, per Google translate. "To open them, the administration had to turn on the fire alarm. Most likely, the defense order is on the verge of failure, and thousands of drones will not get to the front in the near future."
A Threat to Russia's Military Capabilities
The breach of Gaskar Group has significant implications for Russia's military capabilities. The company was reportedly working with China to provide training and support for specialists on Russian drone production, which could have significantly impacted the effectiveness of Russia's military operations.
According to reports, the information stolen from Gaskar Group included valuable insights into the design and development of Russian drones, as well as details on upcoming drone models. The breach is seen as a major blow to Russia's military efforts, particularly in its conflict with Ukraine.
A Response from China
In response to reports of the breach, China has denied any involvement in supporting Gaskar Group or providing assistance in the production and training of specialists.
"The Chinese side denies that it provides technical support to Russian companies involved in the production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)," said a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "China's position on this matter is clear: we will not engage in any activities that could harm international relations or undermine global security."
The incident highlights the increasingly complex and interconnected nature of modern cyber warfare, as well as the growing tensions between Russia and Ukraine. As the conflict continues to escalate, it remains to be seen how this breach will impact the military capabilities of both countries.