Introduction
Wouldn’t you be alarmed if your website was taken down by hackers just days after making a political statement? That’s precisely what happened to the British Royal Family.
A Russian hacktivist group named KillNet carried out a cyberattack on the royal.uk website1, right after King Charles condemned Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
Let’s dig deeper into this move by Killnet
The Attack
The hackers took down the Royal Family’s official website for 90 minutes2. This was a classic denial of service (DoS) attack, flooding the site with so much traffic that it became inaccessible. Anyone trying to visit the website encountered a “Gateway time-out error code 504.”
Who’s Behind It?
KillNet, a pro-Putin hacktivist group, openly claimed responsibility for this attack. Their leader, known as KillMilk, even boasted about it on his personal blog.
The Royal Family’s Response
Fortunately, no sensitive information was stolen, and the senior royals’ personal accounts remained secure. However, the ease with which the attack was executed should be a wake-up call for cybersecurity experts guarding high-profile targets. Just a while ago, another group showed their strength attacking the VXUnderground website. Anonymous Sudan demanded ransom payment from the Kenyan government.
Why the Royal Family?
Don’t you think it’s more than a coincidence that the attack happened days after King Charles spoke against Russia’s actions in Ukraine? The Royal Family has been showing support for Ukraine, and this seems like a direct retaliatory move.
Final Thoughts
While no permanent damage was done, the attack highlights the increasing audacity and capability of hacktivist groups.
Your Thoughts
So, what do you think about this bold move by Russian hackers? Is it a sign of escalating cyber tensions between nations? Feel free to share your thoughts below.
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