Ukraine's Kyivstar and Monobank Grapple with Service Disruptions after Unexpected Cyberattack

Published: December 12, 2023 at 9:54 am Updated: December 12, 2023 at 9:54 am

Edited and fact-checked:
December 12, 2023 at 9:54 am

In Brief

Ukraine mobile operator, Kyivstar, reported a hacker attack that temporarily disrupted its cellular and internet services, while Monobank payment system experienced DDoS attack.

Ukraine Telecom and Payment System Suffer Unexpected Cyberattacks

Ukraine’s largest mobile network operator, Kyivstar, reported a powerful hacker attack that temporarily disrupted its cellular and internet services. Owned by Amsterdam-listed mobile telecoms operator Veon, the company is currently actively working to restore service and is collaborating with law enforcement agencies.

“The most important thing is that the personal data of users has not been compromised”

Kyivstar stated in its official statement, promising to compensate customers for loss of access to services.

Simultaneously, the co-founder of Monobank, a major Ukrainian payment system, disclosed via a social media post that the company is currently experiencing a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. However, the situation is reported to be “under control.”

Both companies are uncertain about the identity of the attackers. While Ukrainian state bodies and companies have previously accused Russia, currently at war with Ukraine, of orchestrating cyber attacks, no specific attribution has been made in these incidents.

Telecom companies amass a significant volume of customer data, encompassing financial, demographic, and other sensitive details. In the event of a cyberattack, this data could be exploited for identity theft or unauthorized access to users’ online accounts.

According to the Cyble report, more than 74 million US telecom customers had their data exposed on the dark web in the first half of 2023, with each reported incident involving breaches at third-party vendors.

Telecom operators continually confront the risk of cyberattacks, with these malicious activities intending to disrupt networks, leading to service outages and communication disruptions.

In a recent incident, UAE residents experienced an unexpected disruption to their television programs due to a cyberattack specifically targeting set-top boxes. The attack replaced regular content with information highlighting Israeli actions in Palestine.

Cybersecurity threats loom as Ukraine grapples with hacker attacks, while the global telecom industry faces vulnerabilities, highlighting the ongoing risks and challenges in safeguarding sensitive user data.

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About The Author

Alisa is a reporter for the Metaverse Post. She focuses on investments, AI, metaverse, and everything related to Web3. Alisa has a degree in Business of Art and expertise in Art & Tech. She has developed her passion for journalism through writing for VCs, notable crypto projects, and engagement with scientific writing.

Alisa Davidson