Reuters writes this with reference to Ilya Vityuk, head of the SBU’s cybersecurity department. According to him, the hacker attack caused “catastrophic” destruction and was aimed at inflicting a psychological blow and obtaining intelligence information.

“Russian hackers have been on the system of Ukrainian telecommunications giant Kyivstar since at least May last year during a cyberattack that should have been a ‘big warning’,” the article said.

scales of destruction

Vityuk also emphasized that Kyivstar is a strong private company that invests a lot in cybersecurity.

The attack destroyed “almost everything”, including thousands of virtual servers and computers. This is believed to be the first case of a devastating cyberattack that “completely destroyed the core of a telecom operator.”
– said Vytyuk.

During the investigation, the SBU found that hackers likely tried to break into Kyivstar in March or earlier. So far, law enforcement has established that Russians have been with the company since at least May 2023.

“I can’t say right now how long they’ve had full access: probably at least since November,” the cyber intelligence official added.

What will happen to users’ personal data?

The publication states that hackers can steal personal information, locate phones, intercept SMS messages, and possibly hijack Telegram accounts.

The company is cooperating closely with the SBU on the investigation of the attack and will take all necessary measures to eliminate future risks. They assured that there are no facts of leakage of personal data and subscribers’ data,
– says the article.

Vityuk stated that the Security Service of Ukraine helped Kyivstar restore its systems and block new cyberattacks within a few days. He also assured that a number of measures were taken to prevent further damage to the operator following the attack.

What matters is the attack on Kievstar

• Russian hacker group Sontsepok claimed responsibility for the attack.
• The SBU said they were investigating the circumstances surrounding what happened. And this so-called “organization” is a department of the Kremlin’s special services.
• The UK Ministry of Defense stated that the attack on Kievstar was the most devastating attack on the Ukrainian network since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.