Cyber Incident Victim: All-Russia State Television
Date:
Oct 2024
Location:
Russia
Summary
A cyberattack targeting the Russian state television and broadcasting company VGTRK caused severe disruptions, including deletion of critical data and backups from servers, significantly complicating recovery efforts. Online streaming for channels like Rossiya 24 and Rossiya 1 was interrupted, while internal services, telephones, and internet connections failed. The pro-Ukrainian hacker group "sudo rm -RF," previously active in supporting Ukraine, was implicated in the attack. The Kremlin acknowledged the incident as unprecedented, confirming the media group was operating in emergency mode and working to resolve the extensive damage. VGTRK, a state-controlled entity under international sanctions, manages federal and regional broadcast networks across Russia.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actor | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 actor | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On October 7, 2024, Russian media reported a significant cyberattack against the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK), causing widespread operational disruptions. The pro-Ukrainian hacker group "sudo rm -RF" targeted VGTRK’s infrastructure, deleting critical data from servers—including backups—which severely hampered recovery efforts. Internal services such as telephone and internet connections failed, while online broadcasts for the federal channels Rossiya 24 and Rossiya 1 experienced interruptions. Rossiya 24 became inaccessible via the internet during the morning, and Rossiya 1’s streaming services were temporarily suspended. Gazeta.ru, citing Russian intelligence sources, indicated the attack began around 6:00 AM local time, forcing VGTRK to operate in emergency mode. The deletion of backup data extended the expected restoration timeline considerably.
The Kremlin publicly acknowledged the incident through spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, describing it as an "unprecedented attack" and confirming VGTRK was working intensively to resolve the issue. VGTRK, a state-controlled media holding designated by President Vladimir Putin as a strategic entity, manages federal broadcasters Rossiya 1, Rossiya 24, and Rossiya K, alongside over 80 regional TV and radio stations across Russia. The attack disrupted services nationwide, compounding operational challenges for a media organization already under international sanctions since 2022 due to its role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. No technical details regarding containment or forensic investigations were disclosed, though the scale of data destruction indicated prolonged recovery efforts would be necessary to restore full functionality.