**Kyiv Independent Hit by Massive DDoS Attack Amid Criticism of Anti-Corruption Law**
The Kyiv Independent, a Ukrainian news outlet, was targeted by a sophisticated distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack on July 22-23. The attack coincided with the publication of critical editorial content and in-depth coverage of a controversial law that strips Ukraine’s key anti-corruption agencies of their independence.
According to reports, the DDoS attack reached over 10,000 requests per second, targeting crucial parts of the website, including member login, contact forms, and newsletter integrations. The site’s admin dashboard experienced slowdowns and partial outages, but public-facing content remained largely accessible due to Content Delivery Network (CDN) protections.
**Coordinated Effort to Disrupt Operations**
The attack was a coordinated effort to disrupt the Kyiv Independent’s operations, highlighting the increasing sophistication of cyber threats against media outlets. The attackers utilized randomized headers and user agents to evade rate-limiting and bot detection measures. Additional SYN flood traffic was detected, likely testing the website’s security system (WAF).
**No User Data Compromised**
Fortunately, no user data was compromised during the attack. The site responded quickly by implementing dynamic traffic filtering and contacting its cloud-based DDoS protection provider.
**Background: Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Law Sparks Outrage**
The law in question has sparked condemnation from civil society groups, opposition lawmakers, and European partners. Critics warn that it endangers Ukraine’s anti-corruption infrastructure and EU accession hopes by reclassifying the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) as ordinary law enforcement agencies.
Protests erupted in Kyiv and major cities after the bill was passed by parliament. The attack on the Kyiv Independent appears to be a coordinated attempt to silence the outlet’s critical coverage of the legislation.
**Commentary**
“The DDoS attack on the Kyiv Independent is a clear example of the increasing use of cyber threats as a means of censorship and intimidation,” said cybersecurity expert, [Name]. “As media outlets continue to report on sensitive topics, they must prioritize their security measures to protect against such attacks.”
“This attack highlights the need for robust cybersecurity measures in place to safeguard critical infrastructure, including news outlets. We commend the Kyiv Independent for its swift response and commitment to maintaining public access to information,” added [Name].
**Read More**
To learn more about this incident and the surrounding controversy, please visit the Kyiv Independent’s website.
