Government officials have taken action against two Russian “hacktivists” who have claimed responsibility for hacking into water facilities in Muleshoe and Abernathy. The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced sanctions on Friday targeting the hackers, identified as Yuliya Vladimirovna Pankratova and Denis Olegovich Degtyarenko.
These individuals are affiliated with the Cyber Army of Russia Reborn (CARR), a hacktivist group known for targeting critical infrastructure. In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, CARR has been carrying out “low-impact, unsophisticated DDoS attacks” in Ukraine and its supporters, according to a federal release.
The impact of this conflict reached the South Plains when water facilities in Muleshoe and Abernathy were hacked in January, causing storage tanks to overflow and wasting tens of thousands of gallons of water. The attack in Muleshoe led to heightened vigilance in neighboring towns like Lockney and Hale Center, where officials detected suspicious activity on their networks.
These hackers have demonstrated the ability to manipulate equipment within water systems and have previously gained unauthorized access to critical infrastructure in both the United States and Europe, including water supply, hydroelectric, wastewater, and energy facilities.
Yuliya Pankratova, also known as YUliYA online, is identified as the leader of CARR, overseeing the group’s operations. Denis Degtyarenko, known as Dena online, is described as a primary hacker for CARR.
In response to these cyber threats, the U.S. government has imposed sanctions requiring the hackers to report all their property in the U.S. to the Office of Foreign Assets Control. Additionally, individuals or entities engaging in transactions or activities with these hackers may face consequences from the U.S. government.
The actions taken by the U.S. Department of the Treasury underscore the ongoing threat posed by cyber actors targeting critical infrastructure, emphasizing the need for increased cybersecurity measures to safeguard essential services and protect against future attacks.
As the investigation into the hacking incidents in Muleshoe and Abernathy continues, authorities are working to enhance cybersecurity protocols and strengthen defenses against malicious cyber activity. The sanctions imposed on Pankratova and Degtyarenko serve as a warning to other cyber threat actors that the U.S. government will take decisive action to hold those responsible for malicious cyber activities accountable.