Roseltorg, Russia’s primary electronic platform for government and corporate procurement, was hit by a cyberattack that led to temporary service outages. Initially, the company claimed the disruptions were due to “maintenance work,” but later confirmed that an external cyberattack had targeted its data and infrastructure. The platform, which plays a crucial role in managing procurement processes for various sectors, including defense and construction, had its systems temporarily suspended as a result of the breach. Despite these setbacks, Roseltorg assured its users that the affected data and infrastructure had been fully restored, with trading operations expected to resume soon, though its website remained offline at the time of the report.
The attack was attributed to a previously unknown pro-Ukraine hacker group named Yellow Drift. According to the group, they had successfully deleted 550 terabytes of data, including emails and backups, from Roseltorg’s systems. To substantiate their claim, Yellow Drift posted screenshots of what they alleged were compromised parts of the platform’s infrastructure. The hackers also issued a defiant message, stating, “If you support tyranny and sponsor wars, be prepared to return to the Stone Age.” This attack adds to the growing list of cyber incidents involving Russian entities targeted by pro-Ukraine hacker groups.
The breach has caused significant concerns among Roseltorg’s clients
The breach has caused significant concerns among Roseltorg’s clients, which include major Russian corporations and government agencies. Companies like Lukoil, Rostelecom, and Alrosa, as well as agencies such as the Ministry of Defense and Roskomnadzor, rely on Roseltorg’s platform for their procurement and document management needs. Many of these clients expressed worries about the potential financial losses and delays in their procurement processes due to the ongoing issues with the platform. Roseltorg reassured its clients that once access to its systems was restored, all deadlines for contracts and other procedures would be automatically extended.
This cyberattack on Roseltorg is part of a broader pattern of pro-Ukraine hackers targeting Russian organizations in recent months. Last week, another hacker group took responsibility for breaching Rosreestr, a Russian government agency handling property and land records. Additionally, the Ukrainian Cyber Alliance claimed an attack on the Russian internet provider Nodex, stating that the company’s infrastructure was completely destroyed. These incidents highlight the escalating use of cyberattacks as a form of resistance against Russian entities, with critical infrastructure increasingly becoming the target of these operations.
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