NEW YORK, BRONX (ORDO News) — A group of pro-Russian hacktivists, including 62IX, the People Liberation Front, and Anonymous Legion, have come forward claiming responsibility for the recent AT&T outages that left numerous customers’ phones stuck in ‘SOS mode.’ This incident, along with similar disruptions in US telecommunications networks, has sparked concern and speculation about the motives and capabilities of these groups.
However, cybersecurity experts, including one known as ‘CyberKnow,’ have dismissed these claims as false. CyberKnow, in a post shared on X, highlighted the phenomenon of ‘post-event victim claiming,’ wherein hacktivist groups attempt to attribute high-profile incidents to themselves after the fact. This tactic aims to sow confusion and enhance the groups’ reputations within the hacktivist community.
The claims made by these groups, including Anonymous Legion, recognizable by their use of the Guy Fawkes mask, are part of a broader strategy to manipulate information and gain recognition. CyberKnow, who boasts expertise in situational awareness, threat intelligence, and hacktivism tracking, underscored the deceptive nature of these claims.
The modus operandi involves sharing screenshots from platforms like Downdetector, showcasing telecommunications outages, and attributing them to specific hacktivist groups. This tactic serves to spread misinformation and bolster the perceived power and influence of these groups among their peers.
Despite the lack of concrete evidence linking these groups to the AT&T outages, they are not to be underestimated. 62IX, for instance, has a track record of conducting ransomware attacks, where they encrypt files on computer networks and demand payment for decryption. Victims have reported file names being altered to include ’62IX,’ indicating the group’s involvement.
While CyberKnow referred to these groups as ‘pro-Russian,’ it’s worth noting that the hacktivist landscape is complex. Anonymous, for instance, has previously expressed opposition to Russian leadership, engaging in cyber warfare against Russia‘s cybersecurity infrastructure.
As authorities continue to investigate the root cause of the AT&T outages, it remains essential to discern between genuine threats and misinformation propagated by hacktivist groups. The evolving nature of cybersecurity threats underscores the importance of vigilance and cooperation among stakeholders in combating cyber threats and ensuring the integrity of telecommunications networks.
—
Online:
News agencies contributed to this report, edited and published by ORDO News editors.
Contact us: [email protected]
Our Standards, Terms of Use: Standard Terms And Conditions.
To eliminate any confusion arising from different time zones and daylight saving changes, all times displayed on our platforms are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).