Solntsepek

Solntsepek is a notorious malware associated with the Russian state-sponsored threat actor, Seashell Blizzard, which is affiliated with the GRU. The group has been identified by Microsoft as one of the three hacktivist groups that regularly interact with Seashell Blizzard, alongside InfoCentr and the Cyber Army of Russia. Solntsepek has also been linked to Sandworm, another group tied to Russia's military intelligence. Notably, following the Russian invasion in February 2022, there have been observable changes in tactics from these groups, including greater coordination and attention given to hacking groups serving as fronts, such as Zarya Hacknet and Solntsepek. The Ukrainian Cyber Alliance, a collective of hackers and various hacking groups in Ukraine, reported a noticeable uptick in cyber activities from Solntsepek since the invasion. Solntsepek claimed responsibility for a major cyber attack against Ukraine's largest telecommunications provider, disrupting operations and causing significant damage. The group reportedly destroyed 10 thousand computers, over 4 thousand servers, all cloud storage, and backup systems. This attack was focused primarily on entities providing services to Ukrainian government agencies and armed forces. CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm, believes that Sandworm and its affiliate Solntsepek were responsible for the attack. Solntsepek has previously claimed responsibility for the Kyivstar attack, and CrowdStrike tracks Sandworm under the alias VooDoo Bear. The group has used pro-Russian Telegram channels, including XakNet Team and Solntsepek, to claim responsibility for hacks and leak stolen information. Despite Solntsepek claiming responsibility, experts point to the strong likelihood of Sandworm group activities due to their historical connection.