Hackers Disrupt Russia's Drone Weaponization Network
A volunteer-run network of service centers halts custom firmware updates for DJI drones following a cyber attack. Can a cyber operation have an impact on drone warfare? Recent developments in Russia offer an example of how this can happen in a not-so-obvious way. On Friday, a volunteer group Russian Hackers for the Front (“Русские Хакеры – Фронту”, RH) known for building a customized firmware for DJI drones reported a cyber attack that affected its servers and end-point devices (terminals). While recovering from the attack, RH instructed hundreds of service centers to stop using its terminals until further notice, thus pausing a wide operation of weaponizing commercial drones. Although details are scanty, this is a rare publicly reported cyber attack that affects drones warfare and might have militarily significant consequences. In this post I will summarize what is known about the attack and provide additional information about the impact and who might be behind it.