Posted on March 27, 2022 at 3:11 AM
Anonymous Group Exposes 28GB Of Data From Russian Central Bank
International hacktivist group Anonymous has released a 28GB volume of evidence of what is supposedly the data belonging to Russia’s central bank. The hacking organization released the file with a smiling mask image on Twitter.
Two days ago, the group stated that it has hacked Russia’s Central Bank and will release details of the hack, containing 35,000 files with agreements within 48 hours. Now it seems that the hacktivist has made good on its promise with the spread of the data all over the internet.
JUST IN: The #Anonymous collective has hacked the Central Bank of Russia. More than 35.000 files will be released within 48 hours with secret agreements. #OpRussia pic.twitter.com/lop140ytcp
— Anonymous TV 🇺🇦 (@YourAnonTV) March 23, 2022
Anonymous Keeps Attacking Russian Cyber Space
The Anonymous group has been linked to the exposure of thousands of Kremlin documents related to the war. The group has attacked Russian intelligence and security service FSB and Russian media regulator Roskomnadzo, exposing thousands of classified documents online. But the latest development represents the highest hacking incident against Kremlin since the bank is responsible for protecting and providing safety for the Russian ruble.
The incident is coming as pressure is mounted over the future of Russia’s central bank head Elvira Nabiullina. She stated that the Russian economy was in an “extreme” situation, saying “We all very much would have liked this not to have happened.”
However, Vladimir Putin doesn’t want to let her go, as he has asked the parliament to extend her stay by another term. There have been rumors she wants to resign in protest against the war and connection to Russia’s dwindling economy.
Anonymous Warns Foreign Firms In Russia To Suspend Operations
The group further warned Western companies who are still operating in Russia to vacate the country or risk being targeted in light of the invasion of Ukraine
‘We give you 48 hours to reflect and withdraw from Russia or else you will be under our target,” the hacktivist group warned on Twitter. Despite the massive ban, some foreign companies are still operating in Russia.
Before the tweet by Anonymous, both Citrix and Halliburton had announced that they are pulling out from and suspending their operations in Russia due to the political situation. Several other multinationals like IKEA and Mcdonald’s have already suspended their operations in the country.
However, the world’s largest food and beverage company Nestle has continued to operate in the country. The conglomerate announced that it has no plans to stop offering its products in Russia despite being one of the main targets of anti-war protests.
The Swiss firm was called out by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, urging the firm to discontinue its services in Russia. Meanwhile, Russia has threatened to ban any company that leaves from operating in Russia in the future. The Kremlin is proposing a law that will cease and confiscate the property and infrastructure of companies that suspended their operations in Russia due to the crisis.
Russian Oligarchs are reportedly worried about the repercussions of the ongoing war on their investments and financial standings. Russian magnates Mikhail Fridman and Oleg Deripaska have already made cautious comments to promote peace.
Earlier this month, the board of the country’s largest privacy-owned energy company, Lukoil, called for a ceasefire and an end to the conflict.
There are rumors that many members of the elite were surprised by the invasion, as several of them were not part of the decision-making process. The majority of them believed that Putin was not planning an invasion, but rather brinkmanship. But many of them have not come out openly to criticize Putin directly.
As Physical War Goes On, Cyber War Intensifies As Well
The war in Ukraine has also been taken to cyberspace. It began with the attack of the Ukrainian government and banks websites. Thousands of hacktivists from all over the world later joined forces to support Ukraine in the cyberwar. Both the U.K and the U.S. government have warned companies to beef up their security systems as the Russian government could send its hackers after these top organizations in the West.
Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted four Russian nationals for their involvement in a coordinated cyberattack on several energy companies. But the authorities say Russia and the U.S do not have an extradition treaty, which means the accused may not be brought to the U.S. to face the law. But the government said the indictment will serve as a warning to others who may want to hide under the Russian umbrella to commit cybercrime.
