Pro-Ukraine Hacktivists Wiped Massive Data Trove from Russian Research Center

A group of Pro-Ukraine hackers operating under the moniker “BO Team” allegedly wiped the database of a Russian research center, according to the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense.

The Far Eastern Scientific Research Center of Space Hydrometeorology “Planet” in Russia handles satellite data and imagery, providing relevant information to over 50 state entities, including the General Staff, Ministry of War, and the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Defense services.

Satellite Data Wiped

“Among the destroyed are meteorological and satellite data, which were actively used by the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, ‘Roscosmos’ and a number of other departments of the aggressor state, as well as ― unique research developed over the years,” the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense said in a press release.

According to the announcement, hacktivists compromised 280 servers in the facility’s network and wiped approximately 2 petabytes (200 million gigabytes of data). The attack allegedly inflicted more than $10 million in damage.

Air Conditioning and Humidification Systems Took a Hit

The release added that BO Team’s cyberattack compromised not only data storage, servers and computers on the network but also humidification and air conditioning systems and the emergency power regulation system of the center building.

The hacking group also allegedly left a Russian station in the Arctic in the dark, completely disconnecting it from the network; the station is believed to be a strategic asset for the Russian military.

Huge Losses Exacerbated by Sanctions

According to the press release, the data loss is the tip of the iceberg, as each compromised device was worth $350,000. Restoring the damaged system could prove daunting for the researchers at the “Planet” facility, considering the severity of the sanctions against the country.

The Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense offered no additional information or technical details of the attack. BO Team’s modus operandi remains unknown and the group's alleged connection to Ukrainian intelligence, if any, is unclear.