Hackers have targeted emergency alert apps in Ukraine and Russia, sending false warnings of radiation, chemical threats, and nuclear strikes to civilians.
What happened
On Sunday night, the Ukrainian Air Alert app, used to warn civilians of incoming missiles and drones, was hacked, sending out false messages about radiation and nuclear attacks. The Ukrainian Air Force quickly confirmed that the notifications were false, urging citizens to remain calm and follow official updates.
A few hours later, Russia's Emergencies Ministry app was also hacked, sending false alerts to users in 33 regions about nuclear warheads being launched and instructing residents to stock up on food and shelter in basements. The Russian ministry attributed the hack to a vulnerability in its app's administrative panel.
Developers of the Air Alert app in Ukraine reported unauthorized interference and temporarily disabled push notifications and the app itself. The Ukrainian Air Force stated that the hack had no impact on Ukraine's security operations, as the Air Alert app is not affiliated with the country's military command systems.
