Ian Patrick, FISM News
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The threat of cyberattacks on American infrastructure and institutions continues as recent reports allege a pro-Russian hacker group issued an attack on websites for multiple U.S. airports.
Killnet, the hacking group supposedly responsible for the attack, posted on their Telegram channel about the hack and encouraged others to join in. At one point, Killnet posted a photo saying “Let the Hunger Games begin in the USA” seemingly in connection to the airport website hacks.
Kiersten Todt, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, reportedly said that “there’s no concern about operations being disrupted” at the airports because of the hacks.
Killnet claimed that websites in 24 states were hit, but CNN reported that only 14 websites were impacted in the hack. Chicago’s O’Hare and the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport were among those that were hit, according to Newsweek, but their sites appear to be operational now.
A Transportation Security Administration spokesperson said that the issue is being closely monitored.
Killnet claimed they used a distributed denial of service, or DDoS, attack on these sites. Microsoft Security says the attack tries to disrupt network services by flooding “a site with errant traffic, resulting in poor website functionality or knocking it offline altogether.”
Killnet also asked its hackers to attack other U.S. networks using DDoS, including those belonging to weather centers, health care systems, and subways to name a few.
Their ulterior motive is not known, but they do brandish themselves as “pro-Russian” hacktivists and have stepped up attacks since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Just last week, reports surfaced that the group was supposedly responsible for taking down some state government websites. They were also blamed for taking down a U.S. Congressional website in July of this year.
Their attacks are not just localized to the United States. FISM News reported that Italian police were able to stop an attempted hacking from groups including Killnet during the Eurovision Song Contest in May of this year. Days prior to this attack, Killnet claimed they hacked websites belonging to the Italian government.