The majority of cybercrime groups are financially motivated cybercriminals who seek to use security or human weaknesses to either steal money directly (for instance, by obtaining victims’ bank login information) or demand money from them. These groups continuously pose a threat to vital infrastructure companies all across the world.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, some cybercrime organizations have independently publicly stated their support for the Russian government or the Russian people, and/or they have threatened to conduct cyber operations in retaliation for alleged cyberattacks against Russia or tangible support for Ukraine. Organizations that guard key infrastructure are probably at risk from these cybercrime gangs with Russian allegiance.
Several Russian-aligned cybercrime gangs, according to industry and open-source reporting, are a threat to critical infrastructure companies, according to U.S., Australian, Canadian, New Zealand, and UK cyber authorities. These organizations include The CoomingProject Killnet, SMOKEY SPIDER, WIZARD SPIDER, The Xaknet Team, etc.
Since March 2022, a cyber organization called XakNet has been in operation. According to open-source data, the XakNet Team pledged to attack Ukrainian organizations in response to claimed DDoS or other attacks against Russia. Industry reporting suggests that the XakNet Team may be working with or being supported by Killnet actors to attack multiple other organizations. XakNet declared they would work exclusively for the good of Russia in a statement on March 31, 2022.
According to Cyberknow on Twitter, Both Xaknet and Killnet have denied rumors that they were going to target the new Ferris wheel in Moscow. In what is likely another example of Ukraine’s information warfare ops.
Both #Xaknet and #Killnet have denied rumours that they were going to target the new Ferris wheel in #Moscow.
In what is likely another example of #Ukraine information warfare ops.#cybersecurity #infosec #RussiaUkraineWar #UkraineWar pic.twitter.com/5INfgLJWC3
— CyberKnow (@Cyberknow20) September 12, 2022
The user said XakNet and KillNet hacker teams are threatening to blow up the new Ferris wheel “Sun of Moscow”. The statement of the teams appeared in various telegram channels. He added that the truth is both teams promptly denied the information about their involvement in the spread of fake about the mining of a new Ferris wheel in Moscow.
In the Xaknet telegram channel, they said “We have nothing to do with the hacking of resources in the Russian segment of the internet, in which our name is mentioned”, while team KillNet added, “All activities on behalf of KillNet that are not posted on our channels are amateur performances and have nothing to do with us.”
