Hacking gangs pick sides in developing Russia-Ukraine conflict

Hacking groups are beginning to choose sides on the Russia-Ukraine conflict as the invasion of Ukraine continues to heat up.

According to Bleeping Computer, an administrator of database sharing and marketplace Raidforums detailed that they would close their doors on users connecting from Russia. A user of Raidforums posted a database with emails and hashed passwords for the FSB.ru domain of the Federal Security Service, which is Russia’s main security agency.

Meanwhile, the Conti ransomware group pledged their full support for the Russian government and threatened to launch cyberattacks against anyone who attacks Russia – warning they will use all their resources ‘to strike back at the critical infrastructure of an enemy’.

Conti is currently one of the most active ransomware actors in the industrial sector. The group was responsible last year for breaching 63 firms operating industrial control systems, mostly in the area of manufacturing.

CoomingProject – a less well-known ransomware group – also offered their full-throated support for the Russian government in the case of a cyberattack.

According to Reuters, a message for the Ukrainian underground hacker community posted the request of the Defense Ministry called the cybercommunity to enrol in a mission to defend the country.

The post was shared by the founder of Cyber Unit Technologies Yegor Aushev, who shared an application form for volunteer hackers to sign up declaring their skills for a better organisation of tasks.

Aushev claimed in one post that hackers around the world – including from Russia – have responded to his call and will be grouped into teams for both offensive and defensive action.

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