Yazılar

JAL’s Systems Restored After Cyberattack Causes Flight Delays

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Japan Airlines (JAL) announced on Thursday that its systems were fully restored after a cyberattack earlier in the day disrupted domestic and international flights. The incident affected internal and external systems, prompting the airline to suspend same-day ticket sales temporarily.

The attack began at 7:24 a.m., causing malfunctions linked to a router, which JAL identified and resolved by shutting it down. Ticket sales for flights departing on Thursday resumed once the issue was addressed.

JAL confirmed that no customer data was leaked during the incident and reported no damage from computer viruses. Meanwhile, ANA Holdings, Japan’s other major airline, stated that its systems were unaffected by the cyberattack.

The disruption at JAL follows a similar incident earlier this week when American Airlines briefly grounded all flights for an hour on Christmas Eve due to a technical issue involving network hardware, affecting thousands of travelers.

 

US Judge Finds Israel’s NSO Group Liable for Hacking in WhatsApp Lawsuit

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A U.S. judge has ruled in favor of Meta Platforms’ WhatsApp in a lawsuit against Israel’s NSO Group, finding the company liable for exploiting a vulnerability in WhatsApp’s messaging app to install spyware, enabling unauthorized surveillance. U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton of Oakland, California, granted WhatsApp’s motion and found NSO liable for hacking and breach of contract. The case will now proceed to trial, but only to determine the amount of damages.

WhatsApp’s head, Will Cathcart, hailed the ruling as a victory for privacy, stating that spyware companies could no longer hide behind immunity or avoid accountability for unlawful actions. A spokesperson for WhatsApp expressed their gratitude for the decision, reaffirming the company’s commitment to protecting users’ private communications.

Cybersecurity experts, including John Scott-Railton from Citizen Lab, welcomed the ruling as a landmark decision with significant consequences for the spyware industry. He noted that the ruling clarifies that NSO Group is responsible for violating numerous laws, as the company could no longer evade accountability for its actions.

WhatsApp sued NSO in 2019, accusing it of using a vulnerability to access WhatsApp’s servers and install Pegasus spyware on users’ devices. The lawsuit claimed the intrusion enabled the surveillance of 1,400 individuals, including journalists, human rights activists, and dissidents. NSO had defended itself by arguing that its technology was intended to help law enforcement and intelligence agencies combat crime and terrorism.

Despite this defense, NSO failed in its attempt to secure “conduct-based immunity,” which protects foreign officials acting in their official capacity. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the decision in 2021, and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear NSO’s appeal, allowing the lawsuit to move forward.

Russia Launches Mass Cyberattack on Ukraine’s State Registries, Disrupting Services

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Russia has launched a major cyberattack on Ukraine’s state registries, causing significant disruptions to vital services, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna announced late on Thursday. The registries, which hold critical data on Ukrainian citizens, including birth, death, marriage records, and property ownership, were temporarily suspended as a result of the attack.

Impact and Response

Stefanishyna described the cyberattack as the largest external attack on Ukraine’s infrastructure in recent times. She confirmed that the cyberstrike targeted the Ministry of Justice’s unified and state registries, leading to their temporary suspension.

The Deputy Prime Minister stated that the attack was clearly aimed at disrupting Ukraine’s crucial infrastructure. She added that it would take approximately two weeks to fully restore operations, although some services would begin resuming on Friday. Initial assessments indicated that other state services remained unaffected by the attack.

Future Protection Measures

Once restoration efforts are complete, Stefanishyna noted that a thorough investigation of the cyberattack would be conducted. The goal of this analysis will be to enhance Ukraine’s defenses against similar attacks in the future.

Ongoing Cyber Conflict

This attack comes amid a long-standing cyber conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with both countries’ institutions facing significant cyber threats. Notable incidents include a mass attack on Ukrainian mobile provider Kyivstar in December 2023, as well as a series of cyberattacks on Russian ministries in June 2023.