**Russia’s Aeroflot Cancels Flights for Second Day Amid Cyberattack**
Russia’s largest airline, Aeroflot, has continued to cancel flights for a second consecutive day after a devastating cyberattack on its IT infrastructure. The pro-Ukrainian hacker group Silent Crow claimed responsibility for the attack in cooperation with the Belarusian opposition group Cyber Partisans BY.
According to Russian pro-government news agency Interfax, the airline canceled 22 flights departing from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport and 31 incoming flights operated both independently and jointly with its subsidiary Rossiya Airlines. This disruption comes as Aeroflot struggles to maintain operations amidst heavy Western sanctions.
**Critical Infrastructure Compromised**
The hacker group claimed that they spent a year infiltrating Aeroflot’s corporate network before launching the operation, completely destroying the company’s IT infrastructure and accessing 20 terabytes of data. They alleged that the airline had glaring security lapses, including CEO Sergey Alexandrovsky’s unchanged password since 2022 and widespread use of outdated Windows XP systems.
This attack highlights the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to cyber threats, particularly in countries involved in ongoing conflicts like Ukraine. The silence from Kyiv on this issue is striking, given their own experience with extensive cyberattacks by Russia.
**Sanctions Weigh Heavy**
Aeroflot has been under heavy Western sanctions since 2022, limiting its access to spare parts, maintenance, and insurance. As a result, the company has faced mounting operational challenges, including acquiring old planes for parts. This cyberattack is likely to exacerbate these issues, putting more pressure on the airline’s already strained operations.
**Disruptions Across Russian Aviation**
The attack follows increasing disruptions in Russian civil aviation due to Ukrainian drone threats. Russia’s Federal Aviation Agency reported that flight restrictions have affected 43 airports at least 489 times since January, further highlighting the impact of ongoing conflict on critical infrastructure.
As tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate, it is essential for airlines like Aeroflot to prioritize cybersecurity measures to prevent such disruptions in the future.
