This denial of service attack is a way for pro-Russian NoName hackers to challenge French support for Ukraine.
By NJ with AFP
© XOSE BOUZAS / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP
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DSince mid-morning, Friday, May 5, it has been impossible to access the Senate site. The blocking, claimed by the collective of pro-Russian hackers NoName, takes place a month and a half after the attack on the site of the National Assembly.
Without further comment, the Senate indicated, in the morning on Twitter, that “access to the Senate website is disrupted […]our team is fully mobilized to remedy the malfunctions”.
i ️ Access to the Senate website has been disrupted since this morning, our team is fully mobilized to remedy the malfunctions. We apologize for the inconvenience caused.
— Senate (@Senate) May 5, 2023
A blockage in response to French support
“This is obviously a denial of service attack, overwhelming the site with requests,” commented cybersecurity expert Nicolas Hernandez, president of Aleph Networks.
With a message in Russian and English, NoName claimed responsibility for this attack on its Telegram channel (publicly accessible), around 10:20 a.m. The group of hackers there disputes France’s support for Ukraine. “We have read in the press that France is working with Ukraine on a new aid plan which may include weapons, as well as statements by Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna” and “we have blocked the site of the Senate French,” writes NoName.
At the end of March, the site of the Assembly had been blocked for several hours by an attack claimed by the same collective, for the same reason.
READ ALSOThe extent of Vladimir Putin’s dictatorship exposedNoName, created in March 2022, is one of about 80 pro-Russian hacker collectives that target institutions in countries that support Ukraine, including Western European countries, explained, late. March, Nicolas Quintin, chief analyst of the Thales threat analysis team, which brings together some fifty experts worldwide. France, one of their regular targets, has seen several such attacks in recent months.
Town halls also attacked
On Wednesday, the websites of several French town halls were also attacked by Russian “hacktivists”. The hackers targeted the computer services company Abtel, based in Nîmes, which hosts the site of several town halls, including Bry-sur-Marne, in Val-de-Marne, Juziers, in Yvelines, and Ambérieu-en-Bugey , in Ain.
READ ALSORussia: the weaknesses of a deficient armyThe Val-de-Marne prefecture explained that the hackers had broadcast, in Cyrillic, on the Bry-sur-Marne site “pro-Russian propaganda messages, namely “Respect Russia! Otherwise we will continue to wage war on you”.
These pro-Russian collectives have flourished since Russia invaded Ukraine. They act without seeking a ransom, unlike traditional hackers.