Hackers Attack Multiple High-Profile Swedish Websites

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) suffered a cyberattack that caused its website to go offline and exposed some customer data. Users who tried to log into the SAS mobile app were redirected to another person’s account, which provided them access to their contact information and travel itineraries, among other things. SAS issued a statement claiming that the compromised information did not include passport details and that there was “no risk that this information could be exploited.” However, the airline did not disclose how many customers were impacted by the breach.

The cyberattack was one of several that targeted Sweden on Valentine’s Day. In addition to SAS, the national public television broadcaster, SVT, was temporarily taken offline, while numerous Swedish companies, universities, and telecom operators were also hit by cyber attacks.

A hacking group known as “Anonymous Sudan” claimed responsibility for both attacks and stated that they were motivated by the burning of a Quran during protests in Stockholm in January. The group posted a statement on Telegram threatening to continue the attacks “in a large and violent manner” unless the Swedish government apologized for the incident.

On Telegram, UserSec, a group of pro-Russian hackers, claimed to be providing assistance to Anonymous Sudan in their attacks on Sweden’s airports.

In January, far-right activists organized Quran-burning demonstrations outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, which led to protests in Turkey and subsequently spread to other nations.