The Belarusian Cyber-Partisans, a hacktivist group, executed a cyberattack on BelTA, the largest state-owned media outlet in Belarus, during the New Year’s holiday weekend. Claiming to have wiped the main website servers and backups, the group cited retaliation against President Alexander Lukashenko’s propaganda campaign as the primary motivation for their actions. The attack comes in response to government restrictions on freedom of speech, including the labeling of independent media houses as “extremist.” The hacktivists assert that by targeting BelTA, a key pro-government propaganda platform, they aim to disrupt the dissemination of what they perceive as misinformation and lies.
The attack appears to be a response to broader governmental measures suppressing free press, including the banning of independent media houses such as Tut.by and zerkalo.io. These restrictions, which have escalated in both Belarus and Russia, have resulted in the labeling of news sites as “extremist” and subsequent bans on their operations. The hacktivist group accuses BelTA of supporting the government’s oppressive regime and poisoning the minds of the Belarusian people with lies. By paralyzing pro-government propaganda websites and destroying backups, the Cyber-Partisans seek to counteract what they perceive as years of dictatorship-backed disinformation campaigns.
The Belarusian Cyber-Partisans revealed details about their cyberattack, explaining that it was launched on December 29, taking advantage of pre-existing vulnerabilities in BelTA’s network. Screenshots shared by the group indicate access to the HikCentral panel, which they claim is the internal pass system for BelTA employees. The hacktivists criticize BelTA’s lax security practices, alleging the use of pirated software and systems. Additionally, the Cyber-Partisans claim to have stolen 90 gigabytes of data, including internal documents and personal data of employees, leaving the news agency virtually paralyzed.
As of the time of writing, neither BelTA nor the Belarusian Internal Ministry has officially commented on the cyberattack. However, the Belarusian Cyber-Partisans have asserted that the authorities forbade BelTA employees from discussing the incident, highlighting the broader challenge to freedom of expression and information dissemination within the country.
