Hackers place Soviet symbols on hundreds of websites

Jun 30, 2008
In cooperation with BNS

Photo: Gustavo Molina

VILNIUS- Foreign hackers broke into more than 300 Lithuanian websites and covered them with former Soviet symbols.

The majority of websites were hosted on the servers of Hostex (formerly known as Microlink), Sigitas Jurkevicius, chief expert with the networks and information security department with the Communications regulatory authority (RRT), told BNS.

"It seems to be a planned attack. Yet we cannot tell as yet which country it comes from", - he said.

Rytis Rainys, head of RRT networks and information security department, told the public radio station Lietuvos Radijas (Lithuanian Radio), that the attackers mostly targeted the websites of private companies.

While Lithuanian head of the Cabinet Gediminas Kirkilas assures that state institutions are prepared for potential cyber attacks, the hackers also broke into the webpage of ruling Social Democrat party, chaired by the prime minister himself.

This is the second analogous raid into a Lithuanian website in two days.

"You scoundrels are all crazy, do you consider yourselves to be the most noble of nations? Noble people do everything they can for their country, rather than destroy it like you. Your fate is clear - spite and failure. But you will go and breed even more degenerates and problematic scoundrels", this bile and swear-word filled text in Russian was displayed with the flag of former Soviet Union in the background in the official website of the Lithuanian Social Democrat party.

The text in question was displayed in red background with soviet symbols - a hammer and sickle.

An analogous break in with the same text and same symbols took place Saturday morning in the official website of the Chief Official Ethics Commission.

After unidentified hackers raided and defiled the commision's website Saturday, the Lithuanian prime minister declared the same day that state institutions are prepared to ward off potential attacks.

Head of the State Security Department Povilas Malakauskas told BNS Saturday he has no comment on whether there are signs of a potential launch of cyber attacks against the country.

The Communications Regulatory Authority said Saturday it has no information on who might have broken into the commission's website and defiled it.

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