Kyivstar,Ukraine's largesttelecommunications provider, was the target of acyberattack on December 12, 2023. The attack caused widespread disruption to mobile and internet services across Ukraine and is considered one of the most impactful cyberattacks on civilian infrastructure during the ongoingRusso-Ukrainian War.[1][2]
Kyivstar is a leading Ukrainian telecommunications company, providing mobile and internet services to approximately 24.3 million mobile subscribers and over 1.1 million home internet users. The company is a subsidiary ofVEON, an Amsterdam-based multinational telecommunications services company.[3]
On December 12, 2023, Kyivstar experienced a massive cyberattack that disrupted its mobile and internet services nationwide. The attack also affected critical services, including air raid warning systems inKyiv andSumy regions.[2][4] Ukrainian authorities attributed the attack to Sandworm, a hacker group linked to Russia's military intelligence agency, theGRU. The group Solntsepek, associated with Sandworm, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating they had destroyed Kyivstar's computers, servers, and cloud infrastructure .[5]
The cyberattack had significant consequences. Millions of Kyivstar customers lost access to mobile and internet services, affecting both personal and business communications.[1] The disruption extended to essential services, including air raid alert systems, compromising public safety during ongoing military conflicts.[4]
Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) initiated an investigation into the cyberattack, gathering evidence for potential prosecution. TheInternational Criminal Court also began examining alleged Russian cyberattacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure as possible war crimes, marking a significant development in international law regardingcyber warfare .[6][7]
Kyivstar undertook extensive recovery efforts, investing $90 million in infrastructure repairs and enhancing cybersecurity measures to prevent future incidents.[3]
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