Following Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the hacking group known as “Anonymous” has claimed responsibility for various distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks targeting websites owned by Russian institutions. Many services have been affected thus far, examples including disruptions to websites owned by: i) the Russian and Belarusian governments, ii) the Russian oil company “Gazprom”, and iii) Russia’s state-controlled news agency “Russia Today”.
What exactly is a DDoS attack?
A DDoS attack is a malicious attempt to overwhelm a target server or network by flooding it with internet traffic. By “clogging up” its target, DDoS attacks are able to prevent usual traffic from accessing or interacting with the target. This is typically executed by networks of computers that have been infected with malware that allows attackers to control them remotely in the background. To this end, each infected computer is typically referred to as a “bot“, while groups of these computers are called “botnets“. Upon achieving this, attackers may direct their DDoS attack by commanding their established botnet to request their target’s IP address, which overwhelms the server or network and leaves it in a dysfunctional standstill. It is for this reason that DDoS stands for “distributed denial of service”; these types of attacks slow or otherwise deny service to a target’s regular internet traffic through web traffic induced via the usage of distributed botnets.
Types of DDoS attacks and their identification
Network connections are composed of a variety of “layers” that each facilitate different functions. Under a conceptual framework called the OSI model, for instance, 7 distinct layers can be used to describe network connectivity. DDoS attacks are correspondingly nuanced; they vary in their implementation depending on the attack vector being used. Considering this, DDoS attacks can generally be grouped into three broad categories: i) volumetric attacks, ii) protocol attacks, and iii) application layer attacks (i.e., targeting layer 7 in the OSI model). Each of these types of DDoS attacks differ in the network/server component that they target, and in the methods that they employ to do so.
Furthermore, DDoS attacks are often notably difficult to identify. Given how DDoS attacks are facilitated through the use of botnets (rather than from one computer with a single IP address), it becomes challenging (though still possible) to differentiate between legitimate and malicious traffic.
The role of “Anonymous” in the continuing Ukraine-Russia conflict
“Anonymous” first began their cyber crusade against the Russian government a few days following their full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The hacking group did so by releasing a YouTube video whereby their intentions were described by a masked individual with a voice changer. The video lasted around 2 minutes and described how due to Vladimir Putin and his regime’s disrespect for “human rights and the self determination of their neighbours”, they would incur the wrath of the world’s hackers – including “Anonymous”.
Ensuing their declaration of cyberwar, “Anonymous” has continued to facilitate a series of cyberattacks against the Russian and Belarusian governments while periodically updating the public on their endeavours via Twitter. Their primary mode of attack thus far has been DDoS attacks – whereby important pieces of online Russian infrastructure (such as the official websites for the Kremlin and Russia’s Ministry of Defence) continue to remain offline (as of 3:55 PM on March 2, 2022). That said, “Anonymous” has since begun engaging in other forms of cyber warfare as well, such as when they humorously hacked the on-board systems of Vladimir Putin’s yacht and changed its call sign to “FCKPTN” with a destination for “hell”.
Overall, the type(s) of DDoS attacks employed by “Anonymous” unfortunately remains unclear; it is likely that further time and inquiry will be required to gain additional insight into these cyberattacks, especially as the tragic situation in Ukraine continues to develop.
References
- Akcin, Y. (2022, March 2). Anonymous hack Gazprom and Russia Ministry of Defence websites. National Turk. https://www.nationalturk.com/en/anonymous-hacks-gazprom-and-russia-ministry-of-defense-websites/
- Cloudflare. (2022). What is a DDoS attack? – Differentiate between the 3 major categories of DDoS attacks. https://www.cloudflare.com/en-ca/learning/ddos/what-is-a-ddos-attack/
- Cloudflare (2022). What is the OSI Model? https://www.cloudflare.com/en-ca/learning/ddos/glossary/open-systems-interconnection-model-osi/
- George, L. (2022, March 2). Report: Putin’s yacht hacked, call sign changed to ‘FCKPTN’, destination to ‘hell’. American Military News. https://americanmilitarynews.com/2022/03/report-putins-yacht-hacked-call-sign-changed-to-fckptn-destination-to-hell/
- Parashar, A. (2017). What is DoS (Denial-of-Service) Attack & how they are Performed – DoS vs DDos Attacks. Techclip Blogging – Ethical Hacking. https://techchip.net/denial-of-service-attack-tools-techniques/snap/
- Pitrelli, M, B. (2022, March 1). Global hacking group Anonymous launches ‘cyber war’ against Russia. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/01/how-is-anonymous-attacking-russia-disabling-and-hacking-websites-.html
- Tonkin, C. (2022, February 28). Anonymous goes to cyber war against Russia: Launches DDoS campaign targeting government websites. Information Age. https://ia.acs.org.au/article/2022/anonymous-goes-to-cyber-war-against-russia.html
It’s nice to see groups that are disconnected from traditional government/territory use their abilities to help during conflict. While numerous governments can’t become involved due to mutually assured destruction , activist groups with anonymity definitely pose a threat as they can be nearly impossible to control on a traditional scale. I hope to see more activism like this in the future!
Hi Jamie, you did a great job describing in detail how DDoS attack works. While Anonymous’ agenda has always been in question, I believe that this time they are fighting against the war and honoring Human Rights. We don’t want to spark a war between Russia and any other country so activist group with no tie to any government like Anonymous can make a great impact without provoking any out-of-control retaliation and nuclear war from Russia.
This is a good Post. people hate war and don’t want it to happen. I can imagine that if there is a war in the future, the first war to start will be a cyber war. Regarding Anonymous, the rules of Anonymous state that if someone has the same idea, then they can become Anonymous. This has led to many DDos attacks by Anonymous, but not by the same group of people. For this reason, I am thinking that if one day a group of people claiming to be Anonymous conducts DDos attacks in two countries that are already at odds with each other, this could lead to a war. Today, Anonymous seems to be acting against the war, but who can say that this is not an attempt by some countries to provoke Russia? So my opinion is that we should not support hackers unconditionally just because they seem to be righteous, after all, no one can know what they really think.
Interesting Post! Seeing the world come together in support of Ukraine in the last week has been really inspiring. Activist groups helping when governments cannot has been a recuring theme in recent history. Hopefully as more groups get involved and more pressure is put onto Russia the war will soon come to an end.
Anonymous is a hacking group that I have heard alot about. It is interesting to hear about their role in politics and cyber warfare. The ethics of this issue however are still in question. Issuing a DDoS attack on important servers is technically illegal however, in this case it is an attempt to stop a regime from invading another country. It is questionable whether this action is ethical or not.The DDoS has the potential to overwhelm the systems of many large companies and organizations and Russia which could have detrimental economic impacts.
Anonymous or also known as the digital robin hood has been involved in many anti cyber / internet activism for almost more than decade, and their impact has been significant as well. Indeed they are actually trying to end the war between Ukraine and Russia, however, as Firoz Lakhani mentioned in the blog thread about how Russia could be having detrimental economic impacts, it is also concerning as well. Because, at a certain instance this war would eventually halt, on the other hand the world is actually pulling back all the opportunities, the facilities and the benefits from the digital world for Russia. Even Russian billionaires are also having to suffer from such destruction.
This post was a good read! Thank you !
Great post ! very detailed , which is good , it helped us understand the news and interact with the post . It is nice to see groups or individual people try to make some change and stop the conflict .
Good job !
As bad as cyber attacks and cyber criminals can be, it is nice to see these cyber attacks being used to help others rather than for destruction or personal gain. Russia has been hit physically and economically, but now they are even being hit cybernetically, and considering just how powerful DDoS attacks can be, I’m sure Russia is suffering. Thank you for bringing awareness to what individual groups are doing to help fight Russia.
Interesting post. I haven’t heard of “Anonymous” until now but it appears that they are trying to end this conflict between Russia and Ukraine. It’s also nice to see people come together to support Ukraine in hopes of bringing this conflict to an end.
Hey, nice post Jamie. I am glad that they are fighting against Russia. I knew about Anonymous being a hacking group that attacks only big companies or random people for their benefits. However, it is interesting to hear about their role in politics and cyber warfare. It is ethically wrong to attack important servers, but if it delays Russia from attacking Ukraine then I totally support this attack.
Great post Jamie, the situation happening in Europe is bleak and it is quite interesting to see how differing groups, organizations and people are responding. Anytime it comes to hacking, and I would add even more so when it comes to warring nations, many ethical questions can arise and leave one with lots to ponder. Thanks for providing some information on the technology side of this tragic war, as well as the background on the various DDoS attacks, I wasn’t aware of the different approaches they could take.
It’s interesting to see the cyber community’s response to the current events between Russia and Ukraine, especially the famous Anonymous group. Seeing how Anonymous uses DDoS shows how powerful they can be. Although ethical issues arise, it’s really amazing seeing how groups like this try support Ukraine, showing how the people do not want the war. Thanks for brining awareness to this topic, and for the insightful description of the DDoS. Your blog post was definitely a great read!
Thank you for providing such an informative post! Network resources – such as web servers – have a finite limit to the number of requests that they can service simultaneously. In addition to the capacity limit of the server, the channel that connects the server to the Internet will also have a finite bandwidth/capacity.
Even though such cyber attacks are technically illegal, with the tragic situation in Ukraine, it’s nice to see how the internet has allowed people to stand up against injustice through the cyber community. This has definitely demonstrate the potential powerful role that the cyber community can play in global events.
Cool post!
Honestly, life just feels like a movie right now lol. Like with everything going on in Russia, pandemic and now all the cyber attacks, it all feels surreal. I think it is pretty interesting that despite the fact that the “Anonymous” are participating in illegal activities, they still have the support of so many people.
Very interesting topic! It feels like we usually only read about hacker groups that are affiliated with the Russian Government targeting Ukraine (or western countries in general), whereas there is little to no news about attacks on the other side. Now, anonymous is not connected to any government, not even a state, but it did start Cyberwar against Russia. I would love to read some more stories about the Ukrainian Government (or hacker groups connected to it) fighting back against the russian hacker groups, as Cyberwar certainly is an important factor with all the IT-Infrastructure being used and the amount of people one can reach online.
I appreciate that you went into some detail on DDoS attacks, we read about it often and most people are probably familiar with the concept but a slightly more precise explanation is good to have!
This was a very interesting read. It is always very intriguing to see third-party actors such as civilian activists take part in such conflicts and it is even more popular in this age of technology because of how hidden and remote such protests are. Anonymous has come up various times in the news during major global events and has been notorious for their DDoS attacks, whether it be during the Black Lives Matter protests after the death of George Floyd or the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. The fact that Russia and Putin would be so vulnerable that random cyber vigilantes could access their networks and send them a message is surprising but also inspiring in a way.
Regular forms of protests can only raise awareness but such security breaches not only raise awareness but also hits the oppressors where it hurts. Cyberwar is unlike any form of other warfare and the aggressors are hard to pinpoint. Russia has not hesitated to disrupt networks and systems of their adversaries for the sake of warfare either and hence should be ready to face some attacks, not only by foreign governments but also hacktivist groups such as Anonymous. Great work on the post Jamie!
Prior to the Russian incursion, Russian military-linked hackers were responsible for a series of DDoS attacks that briefly took down Ukrainian banking and government websites last week. Later, in response to cyber threats, it’s intriguing to observe how Ukraine has been recruiting volunteer hackers to form a “IT army” to carry out cyber operations against Russian organisations. Anonymous is a hacker collective about which I’ve heard lots. It’s fascinating to learn about their political and cyber-warfare positions and the hacktivist movements they have been involved in, so far. It’s frightening to observe how the ‘technology war’ is intensifying. It won’t be very long until cyberattacks and IT armies, rather than weaponry, are used to fight wars.
Informative post! Great explanation into what DDoS attacks are and how they work. Almost every time I have heard or read about DDoS attacks in the news, they are looked down upon, so it is interesting to see how it is considered more favorable in the news today considering the war between Russia and Ukraine. Many of the approaches taken by Anonymous are very creative and inventive in not only their DDoS attacks, but their other cyberattacks as well. There are very few major wars that have happened in the recent past, so the new addition of cyber attacks will likely have many unknown ramifications. Regarding DDoS attacks, it is worth noting its double edged nature- if Anonymous can use them, the same attacks could be turned back at Ukraine by Russia. However, Russia has yet to engage in a cyber war at this time, and only time will tell how they choose to respond to these attacks.
Most media depicts hackers as evil and nefarious, acting selfishly for the most part. Anonymous in this situation seems to be doing the world a favor and punishing the regime’s disrespect for “human rights and the self determination of their neighbors”. In most cases, hearing about hackers in the news brings about fear, but in this case it shows the power of technology to bring about chaotic good.