Russian hackers thwarted in Eurovision 2022 disruption attempt
According to Reuters, Russian hackers planned an attack during the semi-finals and finals of Eurovision 2022 in Turin, when the Ukrainian group Kalush Orchestra triumphed. The Italian police managed to prevent these illegal activities. Details have emerged.
By the decision of the European Broadcasting Union, Russia has been barred from participating in Eurovision since 2022. This was due to the country's aggression towards Ukraine. It turns out that this decision was not well received by pro-Russian hackers.
Reuters reports that in 2022, there were several attempted attacks (during the semi-finals on 11 May and the finals on 14 May) on the network and telecommunications infrastructure of the event, watched by millions of viewers worldwide.
The attacks could have disrupted performances and voting, which were ultimately won by the Ukrainian band supported by judges and viewers. According to the agency, the Killnet group and the Legion gang carried out the unsuccessful offensive.
Italian police officers stated that they managed to thwart the disruptions and obtain valuable data about the attackers. This includes their geographical location and their communication channel on the Telegram social media platform.
Experience in this area results from multiple hacker attacks on Italian state institutions, including the National Institute of Health and the Senate website. According to Reuters, Russia denied that the described cyber operations took place.
Will Eurovision 2025 be safe?
In 2025, both the countries governed by Vladimir Putin and Belarus will not be allowed to participate in Eurovision. It cannot be ruled out that further attempts to influence the show will be made in the future.
In May, Switzerland's public broadcaster SRG SSR and the EBU will organise the contest next year. The broadcasts will occur on 13, 15, and 17 May from the St. Jakobshalle venue in Basel. Thirty-eight countries will compete, including Ukraine.
