On October 5th, traces of the LockBit 5.0 ransomware attack were detected on Khazar TV's official website. The site displayed the message "System compromised" and the classic NOTE.txt ransom-note file.
Elvin Abbasov, the chairman of the Azerbaijan Information and Communication Technologies Industry Association, stated in an interview with Medianews.az that this incident cannot be regarded only as a technical incident: "The issue actually points to the intersection of information security and national information sovereignty."
According to E. Abbasov, ransomware attacks target not only servers and infrastructure systems but also the state's information credibility and public trust: "These attacks can be used to compromise media organizations, manipulate public information flow, and wage a 'cyber influence war' in the region."
The losses resulting from such attacks are not only technical in nature. Elements such as reputation, information reliability, and strategic stability are also put under threat here.
This incident once again shows that the national information infrastructure must be systematically protected, and media resources should be included in the list of critical assets. Cyberattacks have already turned into a military-political influence tool and are used for economic and reputational pressure.
Fighting ransomware is not just a technical issue; it is a national security issue. The real response is only possible with prepared incident plans, regularly tested backups, and coordination between the public and private sectors. If Khazar TV is targeted today, other media resources and strategic information systems may be targeted tomorrow."
Noting that several similar waves of attacks have been observed in recent years, E. Abbasov stated that ransomware activities seem to be reactivating in the region: "This again reminds us of the importance of both prepared incident response plans and public-private sector coordination."
It should be noted that October 5th is the day Khazar TV began its operations. The channel first went on air on October 5, 2007.
Togrul Ali,
Medianews.az
