Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations Announces Cyberattack on Mobile App
Press coverage 2 newspapers covered this event: Al-Rai · KUNA →The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations announced its official mobile app was hit by a widespread cyberattack, resulting in the sending of false information and misleading alerts to residents.
Translated by Qiyas from كونا — Original source
Moscow, Nov 2 (KUNA) -- The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations announced on Monday that its official mobile application, used to alert the public to Ukrainian drone attacks, had been targeted by a "wide-ranging cyberattack," sparking concerns about the security of the country’s government alert and communication systems. In a statement, the ministry said the application had been hit by a cyberattack that enabled unknown actors to send false information and misleading warnings to residents. It confirmed that specialized technical teams had begun working to patch the security vulnerability and restore the app’s normal operation.
In a related development, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that the attack was not limited to the ministry’s application but also affected several channels affiliated with emergency services and regional operational centers on the Telegram and Max platforms. Misleading messages claiming that nuclear warheads were being launched toward various Russian regions were circulated. The newspaper added that the suspicious messages appeared in channels linked to regional authorities in several Russian regions, including Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Sverdlovsk, Tyumen, and Chelyabinsk, as well as the Perm and Stavropol regions and the Republic of Bashkortostan. It noted that some regional authorities urged residents not to fall for or respond to such information.
In this context, Russian media cited local authorities warning against the spread of incorrect notifications and urging residents to obtain information on security threats and emergency situations only from official statements issued by competent authorities.
The attack comes amid rising cyber threats targeting digital infrastructure and government systems, particularly platforms linked to crisis management and the dissemination of urgent alerts to the public, highlighting the security risks associated with exploiting these systems to spread disinformation and incite panic among residents.
Russian authorities have not yet identified the party responsible for the attack or provided the exact number of users who received the false messages, nor have they disclosed details about the nature of the exploited security vulnerability or the expected timeline for full restoration of services. (End) Dan / T.M.A
