War of “Russian” hackers: why are Russian-speaking cyber groups attacking each other?

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia broke off friendly relations between various hacker alliances. The Register writes that this conflict in particular has become devastating within the so-called “hacker brotherhood.” Many alliances fell apart or became ineffective over the past year, but the greatest tension is observed among Russian-speaking hacker groups. Focus publishes details of the crash and further clashes between hackers.

What is the Russian-speaking “fraternity” of hackers?

By February 24, 2022, the so-called “fraternity” arose in the Darknet and hacker community, uniting Russian-speaking hackers from the former Soviet republics. In exchange for mutually beneficial cooperation, they agreed to work together and share hacker developments, despite the annexation of Crimea, support for separatists in Donbass, the attack on Georgia, and other conflicts.

The community included various groups from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic states, the South Caucasus and Central Asia. Among them are such well-known ones as Conti, ALPHV (BlackCat), LockBit, Stormous and others. The main condition of the community was to avoid attacks on organizations and citizens of countries participating in the “fraternity”.

The collapse of the hacker community

Of course, even before the war there were internal conflicts for political reasons, but the boiling point was February 24, 2022, when Russian troops invaded Ukraine. Here, no interest in personal enrichment through cooperation with representatives of the aggressor country can play a conciliatory role, especially since Russian-speaking hackers from our country support Ukraine.

At the same time, the Russian cyberransomware gang Conti spoke out in support of the Kremlin, declaring “the full support of the Russian government” and promising to use “all possible resources to respond to Ukraine’s critical infrastructures”.

The “fraternity” began to split before our eyes and significantly reduced the activity of joint criminal operations on the Internet – the material says that hackers began to fight among themselves.

hacker wars

Literally a few days after the start of the war, the internal files of the Conti group were made available to Ukrainian experts in the fight against cybercrime. These were allegedly leaked by Ukrainian hackers who were part of the “brotherhood”, journalists said. However, only the tools and important data of the hackers at Conti were consolidated, but the cybercriminals at ALPHV and LockBit were unharmed, according to security experts, apparently proclaiming their neutrality in time.

But the disbanded “brotherhood” members did not act alone, but joined other troops representing the warring countries. Experts say that some groups have even begun to cooperate with social movements in mutual opposition to cyber attacks or attacks on the enemy’s IT infrastructure.

Cyber ​​experts believe that the pro-Russian Killnet group is the result of a massive “fraternity” collapse. According to experts, it includes Killnet, Anonymous Russia, Anonymous Sudan, INFINITY Hackers and some others. They are responsible for half of pro-Russian hacker activity and cyberattacks against structures of the US, Germany, Lithuania and other states that support Ukraine.

Future hackers confrontation

Cyber ​​experts believe that 2023 will not change anything in the relationship between hacker groups from Russia and Ukraine. They will continue to fight among themselves: some attack, others help defend their country.

But Russia could add fuel to the fire, considering the possibility of granting legal immunity to “hackers acting in Russia’s interests”, as State Duma deputy Alexander Khinshtein said. Perhaps this will encourage groups in neutral countries to align themselves with the Russian Federation or to lure local hackers into active cyberwarfare.

As a result, experts in the field of cybersecurity note that the hacker “brotherhood” has become another victim of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. But no one will regret this sacrifice.

Previously Focus He wrote that Ukrainian hackers hacked the radio and opened Budanov’s “call” in Crimea.