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Ukraine Air Alert App Hacked, False Nuclear Threat Issued
2 Nov
Summary
- Ukraine's air raid alert app was hacked, issuing false nuclear and chemical threats.
- The app falsely reported hypersonic missile deployment and street combat.
- Russia was blamed for the cyberattack, which also hit a Russian emergencies app.
On Sunday, Ukraine's public air raid alert app was reportedly hacked, leading to the dissemination of false alerts regarding nuclear and chemical threats. The compromised app, which normally warns residents to seek shelter from air strikes, briefly showed messages about radiation threats, the deployment of Russia's hypersonic Oreshnik missile, and impending street combat. The Ukrainian air force confirmed the cyberinfluence, assuring the public there was no radiation threat and urging them to remain calm.
Authorities in Ukraine attributed the hack to Russia, with the Centre for Strategic Communications, SPRAVDI, publicly assigning blame. The Ministry for Digital Transformation stated the app was not operational during the incident, but confirmed that alternative public alerting methods and air raid sirens were functioning. In a separate but possibly related event, the mobile app of Russia's emergencies ministry experienced a significant cyberattack, spreading misinformation. This occurred shortly after a localized ceasefire in Ukraine's Kherson region ended, a truce that had allowed for rare joint evacuation operations.
