The Self-proclaimed hacktivist group, Sylhet Gang, has claimed a cyberattack on the UAE’s Ministry of Defence. The attack allegedly targeted the website, stating that they had “paralyzed” the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence (MOD).
The cyberattack claim was posted by the threat actor on its Telegram channel, where it shared screenshots of the attack, accompanied by the #DecemberStrom hashtag, indicating that follow-up attacks could be a possibility.
However, despite these claims, the website of UAE’s Ministry of Defence seems to be operational and doesn’t show any sign of the attack.
UAE Ministry of Defence Hack
According to a screenshot shared on X (formerly Twitter) by a cybersecurity research organization, a message posted on the Telegram channel of the Sylhet gang reads, “We paralyzed the Ministry of Defense website of Zionist Emirates.
The Sylhet gang has openly called UAE which is an Islamic nation, a “Zionist Emirates”. As a preconceived notion in geopolitics, Islamic countries are generally on an ideological crossover with the non-Islamic ones.
Calling UAE a “Zionist” can be considered a gibe at the country for having condemned Islamic terror organization Hamas in the Israel-Hamas war for its atrocities on the Jewish people.
The alleged UAE Ministry of Defence hack is not the first incident of its kind. Before this, The Cyber Express team reported multiple incidents of Islamic-backed hacker and hacktivist groups have been targeting UAE-based organizations, primarily government agencies and other critical infrastructure.
UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment Also Targeted
Along with the UAE Ministry of Defence hack, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has also been allegedly targeted by the hacker group following a series of cyberattack targeted towards UAE’s government organizations.
In a screenshot posted by a cybersecurity research organization, the Sylhet gang has claimed, “They have relationship with the Zionist entity,” as “the reason” of the alleged hack of UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
About the Sylhet Gang’s #DecemberStorm DDoS Campaign
Cybersecuirty experts are considering these series of cyberattacks (including the UAE Ministry of Defence hack) to be happening for one sole reason, which is, support for Israel and “Zionist” entities.
A prominent cybersecurity research organization has stated on X (formerly Twitter), “In recent developments on the cybersecurity front, the notorious hacktivist group known as Sylhet Gang announces their latest DDoS campaign, #DecemberStorm. The group is known for its past attacks on countries including Israel, India, France, Ukraine, South Korea, UAE, Italy, and the United States, is once again making headlines with their malicious intentions.”
The self proclaimed hacktivist Sylhet gang has also claimed to have targeted Zionist entities and their ideological supporters like India, France, Ukraine, South Korea, UAE, Italy, and US. The have claimed, “So in last 3 months we struck 200+ Zionist and their supporter entities.”
This time, the Sylhet gang claims to target the “Muslim countries who have relationship with Israel with a new campaign #DecemberStorm”.
They have also stated that they will continue targeting Zionist entities for the sake of “Allah” and the muslims living in Palestine. The Sylhet gang promises to continue targeting “them until the Israeli occupation stops and the victory is achieved.”
In summary, the recent Sylhet Gang-led UAE Ministry of Defence hack and Ministry of Climate Change and Environment cyberattack reveal a blend of geopolitics and cybersecurity. The use of “Zionist Emirates” suggests a response to UAE’s stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The #DecemberStorm campaign extends beyond the UAE, targeting countries with perceived ties to Israel. This underscores the intersection of ideology and cyber warfare, emphasizing the need for global collaboration and robust cybersecurity measures in the face of evolving geopolitical cyber threats.
Media Disclaimer: This report is based on internal and external research obtained through various means. The information provided is for reference purposes only, and users bear full responsibility for their reliance on it. The Cyber Express assumes no liability for the accuracy or consequences of using this information.
