Anonymous Sudan, a criminal hacking collective believed to be driven by political and monetary motives, has recently conducted cyberattacks against three East African nations within the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
The criminals allege that these countries are providing support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) involved in Sudan’s ongoing conflict.
While previously targeting Western nations with denial-of-service attacks since January 2023, Anonymous Sudan has shifted its focus to IGAD countries involved in mediating the conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF.
On February 3rd, educational websites in Kenya, including universities, fell victim to cyberattacks.
Two days later, Anonymous Sudan claimed responsibility for disrupting all internet services in Djibouti, citing the country’s normalization of relations with the RSF as the reason for the attack.
Uganda faced cyberattacks on February 6th, specifically targeting its state-owned telecommunications company. The group pointed to the RSF leader’s visit to Uganda and his meeting with President Yoweri Museveni as the basis for their actions.
This is not the first time Anonymous Sudan has targeted East African nations. In July of the previous year, the hacking collective attacked Kenya’s internet infrastructure and issued warnings of potential future actions.
The criminal group also issued new threats stating that they would continue targeting any country hosting the leader of the RSF.
In recent years, the landscape of so-called hacktivist groups has experienced a discernible trend marked by a dual agenda encompassing both political and criminal objectives.
Initially, these groups focus on overtly participating in cyber operations driven by political motivations, using these activities to showcase their technical prowess.
However, as their operations unfold, a noticeable shift takes place. The groups appear to transition to a subsequent stage, wherein they more openly adopt criminal activities, primarily aimed at financial gain.
This evolution involves offering hacking services, selling leaked data on various platforms, engaging in ransomware operations and blackmail.
Notable examples of this progression include “Anonymous Sudan” and the “Stormous” criminal hacker group, which followed almost identical trajectories.
