Russian Hacktivists Target US Hospitals with DDoS Attacks
Reading Time: 2 minutesRussian hacktivism group KillNet has targeted US hospitals using DDoS attacks.
Russian KillNet hacktivists have targeted US hospitals with DDoS attacks, as well as those in pro-Ukraine nations.
US Hospitals Have Been Targeted by Russian DDoS Attackers
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a warning about a string of DDoS attacks targeting US hospitals. The perpetrators, belonging to a hacktivist group known as KillNet, are known for their DDoS attacks and threats. KillNet has been active since at least January 2022 and is allegedly a pro-Russian group.
On January 30, 2023, the HHS released an analyst note regarding the series of attacks, stating that KillNet ‘is known to launch DDoS attacks and operates multiple public channels aimed at recruitment and garnering attention from these attacks.’
In the HHS analyst note, it was also stated that KillNet is known to target countries supporting Ukraine, particularly NATO countries since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in early 2022.
The list of US hospitals targeted includes:
- Mott Children’s Hospital, Michigan
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pennsylvania
- Jefferson Health, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Anaheim Regional Medical Center, California
- Cedars-Sinai Hospital, Los Angeles, California
- Huntsville Hospital, Alabama
KillNet Has Also Hit Other Nations
On top of the various US hospitals targeted, KillNet has also gone after hospitals in other pro-Ukraine countries, including Denmark, Germany, the UK, Poland, and The Netherlands.
In Denmark, nine hospitals’ websites were temporarily shut down as a result of the attack, but it didn’t take long for all nine targeted hospitals to return to full operations.
KillNet Is No Stranger to Cybercrime
This is not the first time that KillNet has targeted organizations with DDoS attacks. In the past, KillNet has set its sights on various US companies, including LA and Atlanta airports and JPMorgan Chase Bank.
In the aforementioned HHS analyst note, it was stated that, in May 2022, ‘a 23-year-old supposed KillNet member was arrested in connection with attacks on Romanian government websites.’ In retaliation to this, KillNet ‘reportedly demanded his release and threatened to target life-saving ventilators in British hospitals if their demands were not met.’
Various hacktivism groups pose a threat to large organizations, with the Russia-Ukraine war escalating such attacks from allegedly Russian-based operators.
KillNet May Continue to Target Hospitals
KillNet is known to go after healthcare organizations and hospitals, so there’s a chance that this style of attack will continue to circulate in the healthcare industry in the coming months or years. Time will tell if this dangerous hacking group continues to set its sight on healthcare firms.
Reference: https://www.makeuseof.com/russian-hacktivists-target-hospitals-ddos-attacks/
Ref: makeuseof
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