Cyberattack targets Azerbaijani media: Who hit Global Media Group?
On February 20, several prominent Azerbaijani online media outlets were hit by a massive cyberattack, specifically targeting the online platforms that are part of Global Media Group.
According to the statement issued by the Global Media Group, the cyberattacks created problems in the operation of Report.Az, Oxu.Az, Media.Az, Baku.ws, Caliber.Az and Baku TV. Hackers attempted to infiltrate the servers and the panels of the websites, placing religious images on the homepages, News.Az reports citing Report.Az.
"We would like to specifically note that this is not an ordinary DDoS attack, but a professional, comprehensive cyberattack," the statement noted.
The Media Development Agency (MEDIA) also issued a statement regarding the massive attack and stated that this incident is assessed as a threat to Azerbaijan's information security. "This attack aimed at the information security of our country proves once again that our national information space is constantly targeted by forces seeking to mislead the public opinion not only by spreading disinformation and false news, but also by interfering with the media infrastructure and attempting to delete and change information from the source," the agency said.
This incident sparked resonance among the country's media and the public. Because, according to the statement from Global Media Group, this was not an ordinary DDoS attack, seriously prepared by an organized group. By placing the "Husseinists" logo on the homepage of the websites, the organizers of the cyber attack tried to create the impression that there were religious motives behind their actions, thus making an attempt to link the cyber attack with Iran. By doing so, the masterminds of the attack are simply trying to mislead the public.
There are a variety of possibilities regarding the cyber attack, and we would like to dwell on two main ones. The first possibility is the shooting down of an AZAL plane in Russia, followed by materials published on online resources operating under the Global Media Group regarding the "Russian House". It was these investigations that caused a serious resonance in the Russian media and public circles, and Azerbaijani media resources were even threatened with a lawsuit. The result is obvious. The Azerbaijani side decided to suspend the activities of that "Russian House". So, this possibility may be one of the reasons for the cyber attack.
Another issue. Media resources that are part of the Global Media Group have long been critical of the decolonization policy of France and other countries. International conferences held by the Baku Initiative Group against neocolonialism are widely covered in these media resources and their dissemination in the international community is encouraged. That is, this may be one of the reasons for the cyberattack. International conferences and events have been held and various resolutions have been adopted on the subject of France’s neocolonial policy in Africa and overseas provinces with the support of the Baku Initiative Group (BIG).
These events were attended by representatives from Senegal, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Guinea-Bissau, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mauritania, Zimbabwe, Niger, as well as New Caledonia and the island of Mayotte. The purpose of these meetings was to discuss the current problems of French neocolonialism in Africa and its impact on the socio-economic development of the continent's countries. Particular attention was paid to the topic of sovereignty, which remains key for African states given their colonial past.
The Baku Initiative Group, created to combat colonialism, signed five memoranda in 2024 alone and, with the participation of foreign researchers, prepared two large-scale reports. Moreover, the activities of the BIG are directed not only against the colonial policy of France, but also against other colonial states.
It has been repeatedly emphasized that the BIG does not fight against the French people or state. The organization only conveys the voice of France's former colonies to the world community and opposes colonial rule. In its statements, BIG notes that throughout its activities it has raised the problems of peoples under colonial oppression and intends to continue this mission.
That is why it is worth dwelling on the latest version in more detail. The fact is that France, after Azerbaijan's active fight against neocolonialism, made a shameful attempt to send a spy to the country. His case is currently being heard in court in Baku.
Of course, all of the listed versions remain assumptions that require further investigation. Final conclusions can only be made based on their results.
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