Pro-Russian Hacking Group Claims Responsibility for Cyber Attacks on US Airport Websites

A pro-Russian hacking group claimed responsibility for several cyber attacks that target various United States airport websites on Monday.

A senior Biden administration official who was briefed on the situation said that the attacker was believed to have been located within the Russian Federation. The cybercriminals targeted systems that do not handle air traffic control, internal airline communications and coordination, or transportation security.

Cyberattacks on Airport Websites

The official said that the attack caused an inconvenience and noted that they resulted in targeted "denial of public access" to public-facing web domains that report airport wait times and congestion.

The attack, which was a "denial of service" strike, impacted more than a dozen airport websites, said the head of intelligence analysis at the cybersecurity firm Mandiant, John Hultquist. This type of cyber attack essentially overloads websites by flooding them with artificial users.

Hultquist said that they believe a pro-Russian hacker group, "Killnet," is behind the recent cyber attack. While similar other groups have been found to be fronts for state-backed actors, there was no evidence that the recent strike had any involvement from the Russian government, as per ABC News.

The hacking attacks were first reported at around 3:00 a.m. ET when the Port Authority notified the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency that the LaGuardia Airport system was struck. While LaGuardia was quickly restored, other airport websites were also subsequently attacked.

Both the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, said that they were aware of the cyber attacks. On Monday morning, other known victims included websites for Des Moines International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

According to the Washington Post, Hultquist noted that while the attacks were highly visible, they were more of a "public nuisance" than serious security threats. However, he argued that when they do take place, they are effective in drawing public attention.

Pro-Russian Hacker Group

Officials at Denver International Airport reported that the attack on their website began at around 11:00 a.m. On the other hand, LAX managers said that the airport's website was partially disrupted and was limited to portions of the public-facing website.

Killnet is believed to be stepping up hacking efforts against countries that continue to oppose Russia's war on Ukraine. The group also previously claimed responsibility for attacks that targeted government websites in Colorado, Kentucky, and Mississippi last week and Congress' website in July.

A former Defense Intelligence Agency officer, Rebekah Koffler, said that Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks to force the United States to stop providing military assistance to Ukraine by attempting to place pressure on American citizens.

She said that inflicting gradual pain by disrupting the normal functioning of the society and its people is part of Russia's plan. Koffler noted that the goal is to reach the point where people get tired of inconveniences and demand that the US government abandon Ukraine so that they could lead their lives normally without hassle, Fox Business reported.