Anonymous Sudan, a hacktivist group, recently announced that they had launched a test cyber attack against PayPal. The group claims that the attack lasted for around 30 seconds. In addition to targeting PayPal, Anonymous Sudan also stated that they will be targeting organizations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United States.
While the group had initially planned a larger cyber attack on PayPal, they provided screenshots of the test attack, which reportedly caused the online payment gateway to display error messages temporarily. The screenshots were shared on the group’s Telegram channel, where they announced their intention to target PayPal.
The test attack, which lasted for only 30 seconds, reportedly generated 107 reports on July 17. These reports outlined outages that had occurred within the past 24 hours, and the title of the report was “User reports indicate problems at PayPal.” The Cyber Express reached out to PayPal for confirmation of the cyber attack, and this report will be updated once a response is received.
In addition to targeting PayPal, Anonymous Sudan has also claimed responsibility for cyber attacks on organizations based in the UAE. The group states that their attacks are in response to the UAE’s support for the Rapid Support forces. They specifically mentioned targeting a government portal of UAE and the Dubai Electricity and Water.
The group’s Telegram message regarding the UAE cyber attacks stated that the attacks lasted for 5 hours. However, the authenticity of these attacks has not been confirmed. Previous targets of Anonymous Sudan include the Ministry of Interior and other UAE organizations.
Anonymous Sudan has been known to collaborate with other hacker groups, including KillNet and Revil, in order to launch large-scale cyber attacks. These attacks are often aimed at fighting against anti-Islamic sentiments. The group has been using layer 7 DDoS attack traffic, which overwhelms systems with SSL/TLS handshakes, as their preferred method of attack.
One notable aspect of Anonymous Sudan is their alleged affiliation with Russian groups. While it is unclear to what extent they are backed by these groups, other Islamic groups have acknowledged Anonymous Sudan as one of their own and have shared their posts. It is not uncommon for underground groups to come together around common goals and interests.
Apart from PayPal and the UAE, Anonymous Sudan has also named Sweden, Denmark, France, Australia, and India as potential targets for their cyber attacks.
This recent cyber attack on PayPal is not the first incident involving the online payment gateway. In January of this year, PayPal notified 35,000 users of credential stealing attacks that used brute force to steal login data. It was estimated that the number of impacted individuals could exceed 1,350,000. The hackers used information-stealing malware and automated bots, as well as a combination of usernames and passwords available on the dark web. PayPal confirmed the data breach on December 20, 2022, with unauthorized access occurring between December 6 and 8.
As cyber attacks continue to pose a significant threat to organizations, it is crucial for businesses to ensure their cybersecurity measures are up to date and robust. These attacks can result in financial losses and reputational damage, making it essential for companies to invest in strong cybersecurity systems to protect themselves and their customers.