A Belarusian hacker activist group has made a bold claim of successfully infiltrating the network of the country's main KGB security agency. The group accessed personnel files of over 8,600 employees of the organization, which still operates under its Soviet-era name. While authorities have not officially commented on the claim, the website of the Belarusian KGB displayed an empty page on Friday, indicating it was 'in the process of development'.
To support their claim, the Belarusian Cyber-Partisans group published a list of the website's administrators, its database, and server logs on their Telegram page. The group coordinator stated that the attack on the KGB was in response to the agency's chief accusing them of plotting attacks on critical infrastructure, including a nuclear power plant.
The Cyber-Partisans group emphasized that their actions were aimed at exposing what they perceive as political repression by the Belarusian special services. They highlighted their efforts to save lives and bring accountability to those responsible for repression.
The group claimed to have accessed the KGB's network several years ago and had been attempting to hack its website and database since then. Upon successful infiltration, they were able to download personal files of over 8,600 KGB employees.
Using this data, Cyber-Partisans launched a chat bot on Telegram to help Belarusians identify KGB operatives by uploading their photos. The group aims to demonstrate that information cannot be hidden in the digital age and seeks to shed light on political repressions in Belarus.
Recent activities by Cyber-Partisans include claims of infiltrating computers at Belarus's largest fertilizer plant to pressure the government to release political prisoners. The state-run plant has not commented on the claim, but its website has been inaccessible since April 17.
Belarus, a close ally of Russia, faced mass protests following a disputed election in 2020. The government responded with widespread arrests and violence against protesters. Human rights groups estimate nearly 1,400 people are political prisoners in Belarus, including prominent figures.
Cyber-Partisans have conducted multiple large-scale attacks on Belarusian state media and infrastructure in recent years. The group's actions are seen as a warning to the authorities to halt political repressions, with threats of further attacks if the situation does not improve.
