Ukraine investigates cyberattack on national mobile operator, suspecting Russian secret services

The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has opened criminal proceedings with respect to a cyberattack on Kyivstar, one of Ukraine’s national mobile operators.

Source: SSU in a comment to media

Details: Proceedings have been opened under eight articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

• Art. 361 (unauthorised interference in the work of information (automated), electronic communication, and information and communication systems, and electronic communication networks);
• Art. 361-1 (creation of malicious software or hardware for illegal use, distribution or sale, as well as their distribution or sale);
• Art. 110 (encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine);
• Art. 111 (treason);
• Art. 113 (sabotage);
• Art. 437 (planning, preparing, unleashing and waging a war of aggression);
• Art. 438 (violation of the laws and customs of war);
• Art. 255 (setting up, running and participating in a criminal community or criminal organisation).

One of the lines of enquiry currently being investigated by the SSU is that the Russian secret services may have been behind this hacker attack.

Quote: "Immediately after the incident, an SSU operative-investigative team, which documents all the circumstances of the attack, went to the company's offices.

In addition, cyber specialists from the Security Service of Ukraine are working at the scene of the incident, assisting Kyivstar employees and coordinating the efforts of all state institutions to restore the network as soon as possible."

Updated: Procedural guidance in criminal proceedings on cyber aggression is provided by the Office of the Prosecutor General.

Information about the current cyber attack on Kyivstar is included in the unified register of pre-trial investigations as a separate episode of criminal activity.

As part of the criminal proceedings, urgent investigative actions continue to establish the circumstances and causes that led to the failure of the mobile operator, according to the Office of the Prosecutor General.

Background:

• A large-scale technical failure occurred in the Kyivstar network on the morning of 12 December. Communication services and the Internet may be unavailable to some subscribers.
• The failure in the operator's network also affected national roaming.
• The mobile operator confirmed that a powerful hacker attack was the cause of the large-scale disruption on the morning of 12 December, but assured customers that their personal data is safe.
• Oleksandr Komarov, Director General of Kyivstar, said it was unclear when services would be up and running again.
• The Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko, said that Kyivstar subscribers who are out of range can ask law enforcement for help.

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