The Belarusian hacktivist group, Cyber Partisans, has claimed responsibility for a significant cyberattack on the KGB, Belarus’ state security service. According to the group, they infiltrated the KGB’s systems in the fall of 2023, extracting a vast amount of data, including information on over 8600 KGB agents. The attack led to the KGB’s official website being down for more than two months, with the site displaying a message stating it is “under construction.” This cyber offensive is part of the group’s broader campaign against the authoritarian regime of Alexander Lukashenko, which has included various targeted cyber activities against state agencies and infrastructure.
In response to the hack, the Cyber Partisans took to their Telegram channel to announce their achievements, claiming they had to shut down the KGB site due to the noise they made. As proof of their actions, they posted a list of site administrators, along with the database and server logs. Furthermore, the group launched a bot on Telegram capable of recognizing alleged KGB agents from photos provided by users, expanding their impact from mere data breach to public exposure of state operatives.
The group’s spokesperson, Yuliana Shametavets, stated that the attack was a direct response to accusations by the KGB’s chief, Ivan Terlen, who had publicly claimed that the Cyber Partisans were planning attacks on the country’s critical infrastructure, including a nuclear power plant. This statement underscores the tense relationship between the Belarusian government and opposition groups, particularly in the context of cybersecurity and political repression. The Cyber Partisans have leveraged their technical capabilities to challenge the regime’s control and expose its mechanisms of power.
The activities of the Cyber Partisans reflect a growing trend of digital resistance by opposition groups in authoritarian regimes. Their actions go beyond traditional protests, utilizing cyber tactics to disrupt state operations and inform the global community about internal affairs. Previously, the group has also targeted other state-controlled entities like the Belarusian Railways and state media, and even internationalized their resistance by supporting Ukraine following Russia’s invasion. This ongoing cyber warfare illustrates the evolving nature of political opposition in the digital age, highlighting both the capabilities and risks associated with hacktivism.
