Russian hackers suspected over cyber attack on US airports

Websites for LaGuardia and Chicago O’Hare were targeted

Russian hackers have reportedly been blamed for a cyber attack on multiple US airports, including New York’s LaGuardia and Chicago O’Hare, whose websites were taken offline.

LaGuardia airport was thought to be the first to report problems on Monday morning to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), when its website went offline at around 3am ET, NBC News reported.

The attack on LaGuardia was soon followed by others on more than a dozen airports across, with CNN reporting 14 seperate incidents on Monday at US airports.

Other airports whose websites experienced trouble were Des Moines International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport and Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, reports said.

A senior government official told ABC News on Monday that the hackers were located within Russia, while the  Transportation Security Administration (TSA) told CNN it was monitoring the situation.

“It’s an inconvenience,” the senior US government source said to NBC News, who added that the incidents had led to a “denial of public access” to airport websites.

Flights were not impacted by the attack and websites were eventually restored.

While it remains unclear which group carried out the attacks, CNN reported that the pro-Kremlin hacking group Killnet had listed multiple US airports as targets.

LaGuardia airport was believed to be the first to report problems this morning to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (Getty Images)

The group claimed responsibility for taking down US state governments websites last week and in July, was blamed for sending a US Congress website offline.

Killnet has also been blamed for targeting organisations in Lithuania over the eastern European country’s sanctions and retaliation against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as other countries such as Italy, Norway, and Latvia for supporting Ukraine against the Russian invasion.

“KillNet works in an emotional way. They seek revenge and retaliation against wrongs they believe have been dealt against Russia and its people,” said cybersecurity researcher “CyberKnow” to Politico earlier this year. “They are extremely reactionary to current geopolitical events.”

On Monday, Russia targeted cities across Ukraine with air strikes killing at least 11 people and injuring others in Lviv, Kyiv and other urban areas.

The apparent act of retaliation – which a UK minister has called a war crime – came two days after the Kerch Bridge, a vital supply line for Russian occupied Crimea, was damaged in a blast described by president Vladimir Putin as an “act of terrorism” by Ukraine.

The US has given Ukraine more than $17bn in military aid since the start of the war in February following the announcement of an additional $650m last month by US President Joe Biden.

A CISA spokesperson told The Indepenndent: “CISA is aware of reports of DDoS attacks targeting multiple US airport websites. We are coordinating with potentially impacted entities and offering assistance as needed.”