DISINFO: Massive cyber-attack in Georgia was orchestrated from the US
SUMMARY
A massive cyber-attack in Georgia was orchestrated from the US. The famous group in the US launched hybrid warfare against Georgia, with the aim of returning Mikheil Saakashvili to power.
RESPONSE
This is a conspiracy theory, with no evidence given to support the claim. It is in line with recurring pro-Kremlin narratives about US interference in sovereign countries and the United States' imperialistic global role. More than 2,000 websites in Georgia were knocked out by a massive cyber-attack on 28 October 2019, with more than 15,000 websites affected in total. The hackers targeted the websites of the President’s administration, common courts, city halls and city councils of Batumi, Kutaisi and Kareli, as well as non-governmental organisations and media outlets. The homepages of the hacked websites were replaced by a photo showing Georgia’s ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili with the caption “I’ll Be Back.” The attack also took two TV stations off the air. Georgian police are investigating the cyber attack. According to a statement from the Ministry of Interior, the attack could have been carried out from abroad. Cyber experts also agree that the scale and sophistication of the attack would have required significant resources, indicating that it was most likely a state-sponsored attack. No country has so far been identified as responsible.