{"id":33473,"date":"2020-02-20T15:10:15","date_gmt":"2020-02-20T15:10:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/packetstormsecurity.com\/news\/view\/30953\/US-UK-Blame-Russia-For-Mass-Defacement-Of-Georgian-Websites.html"},"modified":"2020-02-20T15:10:15","modified_gmt":"2020-02-20T15:10:15","slug":"us-uk-blame-russia-for-mass-defacement-of-georgian-websites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.threatshub.org\/blog\/us-uk-blame-russia-for-mass-defacement-of-georgian-websites\/","title":{"rendered":"US, UK Blame Russia For Mass Defacement Of Georgian Websites"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Special feature<\/span><\/h3>\n
\"Cyberwar<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n

Cyberwar and the Future of Cybersecurity<\/a><\/p>\n

Today’s security threats have expanded in scope and seriousness. There can now be millions — or even billions — of dollars at risk when information security isn’t handled properly.<\/p>\n

Read More<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The US and UK governments have issued official statements today formally accusing Russia’s military intelligence agency, GRU<\/a>, with carrying out a coordinated cyber-attack on thousands of Georgian websites in October 2019.<\/p>\n

The incident, widely reported at the time, was considered the largest cyber-attack in the former Soviet country’s history.<\/p>\n

More than 15,000 Georgian websites defaced<\/h3>\n

According to a report at the time, unidentified hackers broke into at least one web hosting provider<\/a> and defaced more than 15,000 websites with an image of former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili<\/a>, with the text “I’ll be back” overlaid on top (see image above).<\/p>\n

The former Georgia President was known for his fierce pro-Western agenda but is now a Ukrainian citizen after leaving Georgia in 2013, citing a political witch-hunt on corruption charges.<\/p>\n

The messages were reported as appearing on sites for the Georgian government, courts, NGOs, news media, and local businesses. In some cases, the web host disruption also took down broadcasting services for some radio and TV stations.<\/p>\n

But while the attack and its aftermath were superficial and easily reversible, the mass-defacements caused and an endless stream of political tensions and discussions inside Georgia, primarily due to the use of Saakashvili’s photo.<\/p>\n

“These cyber-attacks are part of Russia’s long-running campaign of hostile and destabilizing activity against Georgia,” UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said today<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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“The UK is clear that the GRU conducted these cyber-attacks in an attempt to undermine Georgia’s sovereignty, to sow discord and disrupt the lives of ordinary Georgian people.”<\/p>\n

“The United States calls on Russia to cease this behavior in Georgia and elsewhere. The stability of cyberspace depends on the responsible behavior of nation,” said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Fifth-time allies call out Russia’s GRU<\/h3>\n

Today’s statement is not the first time the US, UK, and their allies have accused Russia’s military intelligence of orchestrating cyber-attacks against foreign governments. Previously, allies have called out Russia’s GRU for cyber-attacks such as:<\/p>\n