Russian Cyber Attack Targets Over 270 Ukrainian Telegram Channels
On July 21, Russian hackers targeted multiple Ukrainian Telegram channels by exploiting the FleepBot post automation service, a tool developed by a Russian company. According to the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine, the hackers posted provocative messages calling for surrender and accusing President Volodymyr Zelensky of starting the war. These messages appeared in at least 754 Telegram channels, including major ones like "Real Kyiv" and "Kharkov Live," affecting over 1.5 million subscribers.
The FleepBot service confirmed the breach, promising to investigate and cooperate with law enforcement to identify and punish those responsible. Ukrainian authorities have advised channel administrators to remove the FleepBot from their systems and to be cautious about using software from countries considered aggressors. The incident has heightened concerns about the cybersecurity vulnerabilities in software developed by Russian entities. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) emphasized the risks and provided guidance for restoring IT systems affected by the attack.
