Cyber Incident Victim: Skylink
Date:
Mar 2023
Location:
Czechia
Summary
A Czech and Slovak satellite and internet television provider experienced a massive distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack attributed to a Russian hacking group, disrupting its customer-facing web services and applications across both markets. The attack temporarily disabled websites and customer systems but left television broadcasts unaffected, with Slovak services restored within a day while Czech operations required extended recovery. The operator implemented additional protective measures following service restoration to prevent future disruptions. The incident impacted access to digital platforms but did not compromise broadcast continuity or disclose evidence of data breaches.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 3 motives | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On March 21, 2023, Skylink CZ, the Czech division of the M7 Group’s satellite and internet television operator, experienced a widespread system outage impacting its website and customer portal. The operator announced the disruption via a Facebook post, attributing it to a hacker attack and apologizing for the service interruption while confirming repair efforts. Broadband TV News observed Skylink CZ’s website remained inaccessible through at least March 24, though Skylink SK, the Slovak counterpart, regained functionality by the morning of March 22. The attack exclusively disrupted web-based services, including customer account management systems and applications, while television broadcasts continued unaffected. Skylink SK later released a detailed statement confirming the incident began at 7:00 AM on March 21, characterizing it as a “massive attack” originating from a Russian hacking group.
The attackers employed a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) technique, overwhelming Skylink’s systems to render most web services inoperable for over 27 hours. Restoration efforts concluded by 10:30 AM on March 22, with Skylink SK confirming full operational recovery across all web services and the implementation of enhanced security measures to deter future attacks. The outage prevented customers in both the Czech Republic and Slovakia from accessing online account management, service information portals, and related digital platforms. Television delivery systems, including satellite transmissions and internet TV streaming, remained functional throughout the incident. Skylink’s parent company, M7 Group—a Canal+ subsidiary with operations in Hungary and Romania—did not report collateral impacts on its other regional subsidiaries. No data breach or data theft was mentioned in available disclosures, with the operator emphasizing service restoration and infrastructure hardening as its primary response actions.