Cybersecurity

Anonymous Collective Launches Cyberattack on Bahrain Over Yemen Airstrikes

The Anonymous Collective has orchestrated an alleged cyberattack on Bahrain, pointing to the country’s support for the US and UK strikes on Yemen. According to the hacker collective, the distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack has affected several websites, including prominent media outlets like Akhbar al-Khaleej, Al-Ayam, Gulf Daily News, and Al-Bilad.

As of now, some news websites appear to be operational, showing no immediate signs of the Anonymous Collective cyberattack. However, a few sites are experiencing issues, displaying a “403 Forbidden” error code on their front-end pages.

Decoding the Cyberattack on Bahrain; Several News Outlets Down

Cyberattack on Bahrain
Source: Twitter

The Anonymous Collective, in a statement on its dark web channel, declared, “! In retaliation to the Bahrain attacks and bombing operation in Yemen, we have conducted a massive cyberattack on the main media outlets of the country. We will not back down. Bahrain will pay for their actions!”

The listed organizations, known for their involvement in the media and news sector, have yet to issue an official statement or response regarding this cyberattack on Bahrain and the involvement of Anonymous Collective hacker group, leaving the claims unverified. The Cyber Express has reached out to some of the available organizations to learn more about this cyberattack but due to communication errors only a limited number of organizations were available. 

This incident echoes a previous event where Lulzsec hacktivists leaked American bank logins in protest against Yemen airstrikes. The hacktivist group released purported logins for American banks in response to the ongoing airstrikes in Yemen by the US, UK, and their allies. Speculation arose about the origin of these logins, suggesting they might have been obtained from earlier data breaches.

Hacktivist Groups United in Retaliation of Yemen Airstrikes

Yemen Airstrikes Offend Lulzsec
Source: Twitter

In a similar vein, hacktivist groups are emerging to express their opposition amidst the airstrikes in Yemen. Lulzsec, the first to declare their intent, hinted at cyber reprisals following physical responses by Iran proxy groups in the Middle East.

The situation in Yemen continues to escalate, with explosions rocking cities like Sanaa, Hodeidah, Saada, and Dhamar in response to the US and UK airstrikes against Houthi targets. Reports indicate the presence of British and American warplanes in Yemeni airspace.

Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Lebanese group, voiced concerns about the security of maritime navigation in the Red Sea, now considered a conflict zone due to U.S. and British actions. The group, part of an Iran-aligned regional alliance, including the Houthis, vowed to continue targeting ships belonging to Israel or heading to its ports.

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah emphasized the disruption of maritime security, stating, “The more dangerous thing is what the Americans did in the Red Sea will harm the security of all maritime navigation, even the ships that are not going to Palestine, even the ships which are not Israeli, even the ships that have nothing to do with the matter because the sea has become a theatre of fighting, missiles, drones, and warships”, reported Reuters.

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