Ukraine and Russia report simultaneous cyberattacks on emergency alert apps

Ukrainian and Russian authorities confirmed that hackers targeted their respective emergency alert mobile applications late Sunday. The intrusions caused false warnings to appear on residents' phones in both nations. Ukrainian users received messages claiming a high nuclear radiation danger existed in Kyiv. Russian users saw fake alerts from the Emergency Ministry's app.

Ukraine's air raid alert channel posted on Telegram late Sunday that unauthorized parties had interfered with the messaging service. The channel temporarily suspended operations while it investigated the breach. It advised users to avoid clicking links in suspicious notifications. Ukrainian officials stated the app was restored overnight. The false alerts were written in English with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. They also appeared in a mix of Russian and Ukrainian languages. The messages claimed there were high radiation levels, a chemical threat, and public disturbances in the capital.

A Russian Telegram channel called Mash said it spoke with representatives of the hacking group Hitcore. The channel reported that Hitcore claimed responsibility for the attack. Mash noted the group has links to Russian security services. The claim has not been independently verified. Ukraine's state-run Center for Countering Disinformation reported the breach on Monday. The center urged users to monitor emergency channels on social media and rely on physical alerts while the cyberattack was being addressed.

Russian officials said Monday that hackers gained access to the mobile app for Russia's Emergency Ministry. The ministry did not name the group responsible for the intrusion. In a statement, the ministry told the public that the wider alert system was working normally. It explained that the mobile app serves as a supplementary service. Primary alerts are shared through SMS, media broadcasts, and municipal sirens and loudspeakers.