Ukrainian hackers claim disruptive cyberattack on key Russian drone supplier

Ukrainian military intelligence and allied hacker groups say they launched a large-scale cyberattack against Gaskar Group, a leading Russian drone manufacturer, severely disrupting the company’s operations and compromising sensitive internal data.

In statements published this week, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) confirmed its involvement in the coordinated operation with two volunteer cyber groups: the Ukrainian Cyber Alliance (UAC) and Black Owl (also known as BO Team). The attack allegedly targeted and dismantled the digital infrastructure of Gaskar Group, a company believed to be supplying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Russian forces engaged in the war in Ukraine.

According to HUR, the cyber operation “paralyzed” the drone maker’s accounting systems, production software, and internet services. The attackers claimed to have exfiltrated terabytes of data, including drone design files, source code, employee records, and internal documents. The stolen material has reportedly been shared with Ukraine’s defense forces for analysis and use in ongoing military efforts.

The UAC posted samples of the compromised data on Telegram, including what it identified as scanned employee passports. The hackers also claimed the intrusion affected the company’s internal building security, causing staff to manually activate a fire alarm to open locked doors. “Thousands of drones won’t be reaching the front lines anytime soon,” the UAC said in a statement.

While the scope of the alleged breach could not be independently verified, Gaskar Group did issue a statement to Russian media outlet EG, acknowledging an attempted cyberattack. The company, however, denied major disruptions, stating that its operations were continuing without interruption.

The hack marks the second known cyberattack on Russia’s drone sector this month. Earlier in July, Russian developers of drone firmware reported a breach that temporarily disabled distribution servers and displayed unauthorized messages on operator consoles. While no damage to the firmware itself was reported, the incident raised concerns about the resilience of Russia’s defense-related digital systems.

Both UAC and BO Team have previously carried out high-profile cyberattacks against Russian government targets. In 2023, BO Team was linked to a breach of Russia’s national court system that reportedly erased a significant portion of its digital archives. UAC is also known for targeting local infrastructure, including transportation and surveillance systems.

Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, in a recent threat assessment, described BO Team as a significant threat to Russian state institutions and critical infrastructure. The group is believed to work closely with Ukraine’s military intelligence on select operations, including cyber campaigns against political parties and research entities within Russia. Neither Gaskar Group nor Russian authorities have provided further updates on the scope or impact of the latest cyber operation.