E-Business
Hacktivism and the New Age of Cyber Warfare
By Sergey Shykevich
Hacktivism has traditionally been associated with loosely managed entities such as Anonymous. These decentralized and unstructured groups are typically made up of individuals cooperating in support of a variety of agendas and many groups have an open-door policy for recruitment.
However, over the last year, and following developments in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the hacktivist ecosystem has matured, in both origins of source and motivations.
Hacktivist groups have tightened up their level of organization and control, and today you will see them conduct military-like operations including recruitment and training, sharing tools, intelligence and allocation of targets.
For example, following Russian attacks on Ukrainian IT infrastructure at the beginning of the war, Ukraine set up an unprecedented movement called “IT Army of Ukraine.” Through a dedicated Telegram channel, its operators manage more than 350,000 international volunteers in their campaign against Russian targets.
On the other side of the battlefield, Killnet, a Russian-affiliated group, was established with a military-like organizational structure and a clear top-down hierarchy. Killnet consists of multiple specialized squads that perform attacks and answer to the main commanders.
Most new hacktivist groups have a clear and consistent political ideology that is affiliated with governmental narratives. Others are less politically driven, but have nonetheless made their operations more professional and organized through specifically targeted campaigns motivated by social rather than economic objectives.
Who’s responsible and do we know for sure?
This type of cyber warfare is not only about inflicting damage. All active groups are aware of the importance of media coverage, and they use their communication channels to announce successful attacks and re-publish them to maximize the effect and elevate the fear of such hacktivist attacks.
For example, Killnet has more than 91,000 subscribers on their Telegram channel, where they publish attacks, recruit team members and share attack tools. There is also extensive coverage of the group’s activity on major Russian media outlets to promote their achievements in cyber space and validate the impact of their successful attacks on their ‘enemies’ or anti-Russia entities.
Increasingly, there is a rising trend in groups claiming responsibility for cyberattacks when in reality, they had little or no involvement in them. Germany’s flagship airline, Lufthansa, experienced a severe IT issue in early 2023 which left thousands of passengers stranded at several airports across the country. It was thought to be the result of construction work causing damage to external cabling.
Pro-Russian hacktivist group, Killnet, claimed responsibility for the attack and said it was retaliation for Germany’s support of Ukraine. The group published a statement via its social media channels saying: ‘We killed the Lufthansa employee corps network with three million requests per second of fat data packets.
These were experiments on rats that were successful. Now we know how to stop any navigation and technical equipment of any airport in the world. Who else wants to supply weapons to Ukraine?’
Despite this assertive message, there is little evidence to suggest that Killnet had any involvement in the attack and were in actual fact attempting to enhance their notoriety and increase levels of fear. It is not always easy to establish who or what organisation is responsible for an attack and it is even more difficult when the incident is potentially state-sponsored.
Who is the person (or government) behind the mask
There is a big difference between claiming responsibility and being responsible. Operating under the cloak of anonymity may be seen as a way of legitimising state-sponsored attacks, but when does it become terror, not disruption?
Research conducted by the University of Notre Dame argues state-sponsored hacktivism is ‘weapons and attacks in the cyber domain intended to produce political effects similar to those usually sought as the goal or objective of a conventional use of force by states against one another’.
Such an approach means nation states can act anonymously within the cyber world, and perhaps most importantly, without fear of retaliation and without taking responsibility for the attacks.
By targeting components of critical infrastructure such as financial or healthcare institutions, government buildings, energy suppliers or emergency services, attacks aim to cause maximum disruption. Though with such significant backing, the aftereffects of an attack such as this could be on a par with those where force had been used.
Prior to Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, hacktivism was a scarcely used term in a serious context and was arguably on the decline. However, the war prompted a surge in activity from known and unknown groups. Those unknown parties are the ones that create the most intrigue, as they are potentially being aided by government organisations to carry out attacks on targets for political gain.
For example, within 48-hours of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine there was an 800% increase in suspected Russian sourced cyberattacks. Activity hasn’t slowed either.
According to Check Point Research in the second half of 2022, Killnet, the biggest Russia affiliated hacktivist groups targeted more than 650 organisations or individuals, interestingly only 5% of which were Ukrainian.
It is not just Russia who are believed to be using government resources to aid cyberattacks, but groups allegedly in Iran, Israel and China also may have links to state-sponsored activity.
What will hacktivism look like in 2023?
The frequency and sophistication of attacks in this new era of hacktivism will raise questions about their origins. Who or what organisation is behind the mask and are their actions motivated by political gain or terror? In the year ahead, it will become increasingly more difficult to identify what is a government, hacktivist or cyberattack.
It may be too soon to refer to hacktivism as state-sponsored terrorism, but there is no doubt that it is becoming harder to disconnect one from the other. As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate the world agenda this new age of cyberwarfare will only get worse, before it gets better.
Sergey Shykevich is Threat Intelligence Group Manager at Check Point Software.
Galaxy Backbone (GBB) has unveiled a new corporate identity, signalling what the organisation described as a new phase of growth and readiness to support the future of digital governance in Nigeria.
The unveiling of the identity was part of activities marking 20 years of providing critical digital infrastructure and services to government institutions.
According to GBB, the rebranding signals the organization’s strategic evolution from a core government ICT infrastructure provider to a broad national digital transformation enabler connecting governments, businesses, and institutions.
Speaking at the 20th anniversary celebration and awards ceremony in Abuja, Senator George Akume, secretary to the Government of the Federation, urges GBB to lead the next phase of Nigeria’s digital transformation.
Represented by Dr Ibrahim Kana, permanent secretary, General Services Office, Akume, described the organisation as a key driver of modern governance, cybersecurity and digital service delivery across Nigeria.
He said Galaxy Backbone has evolved from a modest initiative into the nation’s foremost provider of secure government connectivity, cloud infrastructure, data hosting and shared ICT services, helping to improve efficiency, transparency and collaboration across Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
‘Digital transformation is no longer an option but a necessity. Nations that embrace technology and innovation are better positioned to achieve sustainable economic growth, improve governance outcomes and enhance the quality of life of their citizens,” he said.
Senator Akume stressed that digital transformation is now essential for economic growth and effective governance. He urged Galaxy Backbone to strengthen its role in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, blockchain and big data analytics, to support Nigeria’s digital economy and public sector modernisation.
“The next phase of Nigeria’s digital transformation will require greater innovation, stronger cybersecurity capabilities, expanded broadband infrastructure and deeper collaboration among stakeholders,” he added.
Earlier in his remarks, Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju, managing director of Galaxy Backbone, said the organisation’s journey began with a bold vision to connect government institutions and make digital infrastructure a strategic national asset. He noted that two decades later, the organisation has become a critical pillar of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
“Twenty years ago, a bold idea was born. An idea that government could be more connected, that technology could transform governance, and that digital infrastructure could become a strategic national asset,” Adeyanju said.
Professor Adeyanju said Galaxy Backbone’s achievements were made possible through the support of the Federal Government, stakeholders, partner agencies and generations of staff who helped build the institution.
He added that the organisation’s greatest strength remains its workforce and reaffirmed its commitment to innovation, service delivery and talent development.
Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has said that it plans to seek a review of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023 to address emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics and big data, amid growing concerns over privacy, cybersecurity and data governance in an increasingly digital economy.
The proposed review comes as regulators across the world grapple with the rapid adoption of AI-driven technologies and the challenges they pose to existing legal frameworks designed to protect personal data and privacy rights.
Experts believe the move signals Nigeria’s determination to align its data protection regime with global technological developments and emerging regulatory standards.
Speaking during activities marking the third anniversary of the signing of the Nigeria Data Protection Act into law, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner and chief executive officer of the NDPC, said the current law requires updates to adequately reflect technological realities that have evolved significantly since its enactment.
According to him, the pace of innovation has made it necessary for policymakers to move beyond broad references to emerging technologies and provide clearer regulatory guidance.
“We are in the era of emerging technologies. At the time the law was drafted, we could only make broad references to emerging technologies, but today we can specifically mention Artificial Intelligence, robotics and big data,” Olatunji said.
The NDPC boss noted that technologies which were once considered futuristic have now become central to economic activities, digital services and public administration.
“Ten years ago, nobody was talking about AI the way we are doing now, but today it has become central to virtually every aspect of digital transformation. We need to be more specific about what constitutes emerging technologies and provide examples because the technologies keep evolving,” he added.
Industry stakeholders say the review is timely, given the increasing deployment of AI tools across sectors including banking, telecommunications, healthcare, education and public services.
They argue that clearer rules are needed to govern automated decision-making, algorithmic accountability, data ownership and cross-border data transfers.
The proposed amendment also aligns with the National Assembly’s ongoing work to assess the existing law and identify areas to strengthen in light of evolving cyber threats and technological advancements.
Senator Afolabi Salisu, chairman, Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, had earlier indicated that lawmakers were reviewing the legislation to ensure it remains relevant in addressing developments such as AI and emerging cybercrime threats.
Analysts believe the review could further strengthen investor confidence in Nigeria’s digital economy by providing clearer regulatory certainty for businesses operating in data-intensive sectors.
The NDPA 2023 established the NDPC as the country’s primary data protection regulator and created a legal framework for the collection, processing, storage and transfer of personal data.
Since its enactment, the Commission has ramped up enforcement, compliance monitoring, and awareness campaigns to strengthen data governance across public and private institutions.
Olatunji, however, cautioned against excessive reliance on AI technologies, stressing that human oversight remains critical in data processing and decision-making systems.
“We still need the human component. We should not leave everything to artificial intelligence,” he said.
He further noted that issues relating to digital footprints, privacy rights and responsible data use would continue to demand regulatory attention as technology becomes more integrated into everyday life.
Technology policy experts say the emergence of generative AI, machine learning systems and autonomous technologies has created new legal and ethical questions that many existing privacy laws were not originally designed to address.
These include concerns around automated profiling, bias in AI systems, consent management, surveillance and accountability for decisions made by intelligent systems.
Meanwhile, the NDPC has in recent months demonstrated a growing focus on AI governance, including participation in international initiatives aimed at promoting responsible and privacy-conscious deployment of artificial intelligence technologies.
Stakeholders believe that any amendment to the Act should strike a balance between protecting citizens’ privacy rights and supporting innovation within Nigeria’s rapidly expanding digital economy.
Hence, the proposed review signals the likelihood of stricter compliance obligations for business and increased scrutiny of how personal data is collected, processed and utilised.
While experts advise organisations to begin strengthening internal governance frameworks, data management systems and privacy compliance programmes in anticipation of future regulatory changes.
Consequently, the planned review of the Data Protection Act underscores the growing recognition that regulatory frameworks must evolve alongside technological innovation, while for policymakers, the challenge will be ensuring that the law remains flexible enough to encourage innovation while robust enough to protect citizens in an era increasingly defined by data and artificial intelligence.
Federal government has banned the use of personal email accounts, such as Gmail, Yahoo Mail, or Hotmail, for official public-sector transactions, mandating that civil servants transition to a secure, institutional digital platform.
This ban requires all government officials to use secure institutional platforms with the approved .gov.ng domain to safeguard sensitive data.
The announcement was made in Abuja by Didi Esther Walson-Jack, head, the Civil Service of the Federation, during a digital transformation summit held to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Galaxy Backbone.
According to Walson-Jack, the government has activated more than 115,000 official GovMail accounts to ensure that communication within the federal civil service remains secure, professional, and easy to track.
She said government activities should no longer rely on personal email services or informal channels that make record-keeping difficult.
The Head of service explained that official information must remain within government systems even when an officer leaves a position.
This, she said, will help preserve important records and prevent the loss of government information tied to individual workers.
The Head of Service also disclosed that the Federal Government achieved a major target by completing the digitalisation of work processes across all 38 federal ministries and extra-ministerial departments before the end of December 2025.
She described the development as proof that reforms can succeed when there is clear leadership and commitment from government institutions.
According to her, the achievement shows that the civil service is capable of adapting to modern methods of operation.
Walson-Jack recalled that in the past, government files could easily be delayed, misplaced, or trapped in lengthy approval processes.
She said the shift to digital systems now makes it easier to monitor documents, improve accountability, and measure progress in government operations.
Walson-Jack added that the paperless civil service initiative is aimed at making government work more efficient by cutting delays, reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, improving transparency, and allowing records to be retrieved and processed faster.
Galaxy Backbone @ 20, Unveils New Identity
ALTON Backs CBN on Local Data Hosting Rule for Banks, Fintechs
MTN Nigeria Commits to Ethical Conduct with IFRS S1, S2 Compliance
NDPC to Review Data Law to Address AI, Privacy Concerns
FG Moves to End Double Taxation
CBN Extends PoS Geo-Fencing Enforcement Deadline to August 2026
London Strengthens Global Investment Ties with Africa @ First Ever London-Africa Business Summit
FG Targets Alleged N3tn Capital Flight, Opens Airtime Credit Market to Nigerian Fintechs
Japan, UNESCO Boost Digital Learning in 15 CoEs with Donation of ICT Equipment
African Electric Vehicle Platform Raises $215m to Scale Electric Mobility in Nigeria, Others
Telecom3 days agoTikTok, ICC Gather Nigeria’s Entrepreneurs to Drive Small Business Growth and Digital Transformation
E-Business3 days agoPayaza Launches AI-powered Storefront Platform to Drive Cross-border Commerce
Telecom3 days agoNigeria Moves to End Solar Imports as NASENI, REA Seal Major Renewable Energy Deal
Telecom3 days agoHow a New NITDA-TikTok Partnership Could Transform Thousands of Nigerian Businesses
E-Business3 days agoFG Bans Use of Gmail, Other Personal Emails for Civil Service Operations
E-Financial3 days agoNAICOM’s 18 Months Management Spill @ African Alliance Ends
General News3 days agoIndwelt Studios Seeks Increased Awareness @ World Sickle Cell Day
E-Financial3 days agoStandard Bank Targets $15.4b SME Growth in Nigeria, Others with Trade Expansion Drive