The US DoJ indicts two Sudanese nationals allegedly behind Anonymous Sudan for over 35,000 DDoS attacks targeting critical infrastructure, hospitals, and major tech firms.

 The FBI seized a powerful DDoS tool; victims include the DOJ, Microsoft, and Cedars-Sinai.The United States Department of Justice (DoJ) has indicted two Sudanese nationals for their alleged role in operating the hacktivist group Anonymous Sudan. The group claimed fame for conducting “tens of thousands” of large-scale and crippling Distributed Denial of Service attacks (DDoS attacks) targeting critical infrastructure, corporate networks, and government agencies globally.The Alleged Masterminds Behind the Attacks are:Ahmed Salah Yousif Omer, 22, and Alaa Salah Yusuuf Omer, 27, stand accused of conspiracy to damage protected computers. Ahmed Salah faces additional charges for damaging protected computers.The duo is believed to have controlled Anonymous Sudan, which, since early 2023, launched attacks on high-profile entities such as ChatGPT, UAE’s Flydubai Airline, London Internet Exchange, Microsoft, and the Israeli BAZAN Group.The group and its clients also utilized the Distributed Cloud Attack Tool (DCAT) to conduct over 35,000 DDoS attacks. These attacks targeted sensitive government and critical infrastructure in the U.S. and globally, including the Department of Justice, Department of Defense, FBI, State Department, and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.The attacks, which sometimes lasted days, reportedly caused major damage, often crippling websites and networks. For instance, the attack on Cedars-Sinai Medical Center forced the redirection of incoming patients for eight hours, causing over $10 million in damages to U.S. victims.FBI Seized Anonymous Sudan’s DDoS ToolFor your information, DCAT refers to a type of malicious tool or framework that exploits cloud resources across multiple geographic locations to execute cyberattacks. These tools often take advantage of the scalability, distribution, and on-demand nature of cloud services to create strong attack infrastructures.According to the DoJ’s press release, in March 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI, acting on court-authorized seizure warrants, successfully disabled and seized Anonymous Sudan’s “powerful DDoS tool.” This tool, which the group allegedly used to execute attacks and sold as a service to other criminals, was the base of their operations.The March 2024 operation, which disrupted the DCAT tool (also known as “Godzilla,” “Skynet,” and “InfraShutdown”), involved seizing key components, including servers that launched and controlled attacks and those that relayed commands. The warrants also covered accounts containing the source code for the DDoS tools.“Anonymous Sudan sought to maximize havoc and destruction against governments and businesses around the world,” stated United States Attorney Martin Estrada. He emphasized the group’s callousness, noting attacks on hospitals providing emergency care. “We are committed to safeguarding our nation’s infrastructure and holding cybercriminals accountable,” he added.Operation PowerOFFThese actions are part of Operation PowerOFF, an international effort to dismantle DDoS-for-hire infrastructures active since 2018. Private sector entities like Akamai SIRT, Amazon Web Services, Cloudflare, and Microsoft have played a key role in the takedown since.Akamai SIRT expressed gratitude to the FBI, DOJ, and the Big Pipes working group for their commitment to prioritizing DDoS investigations and disrupting these operations.“Akamai would like to thank the members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the DOJ, and the Big Pipes working group for their commitment to prioritizing DDoS investigations, as well as their investment of time and energy into unravelling these operations and attempting to disrupt them,” the company said.

UK boosts support for ATMIS with 7.5M Pounds.

 

The United Kingdom has provided a further £7.5 million to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). This latest round of funding builds on earlier contributions and increases the total amount of financial support from the United Kingdom to both ATMIS and AMISOM since 2021 to £77 million. ATMIS plays a vital role in Somalia’s security, protecting key areas including population centres, supply routes and infrastructure. It continues to support the Somali National Army in joint operations, facilitating humanitarian aid, and safeguarding political processes including elections. 

UK funds have enabled ATMIS to improve Somalia’s security by combatting al-Shabaab and reducing the group’s influence. ATMIS troops also provide protection for Somali civilians as they work to ensure a more stable and secure Somalia to the benefit of its people and the region. The new funding will fund military stipends for troops from the five troop-contributing countries (Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda), and will help ATMIS to complete its mandate of a phased handover of security responsibilities to the Somali Security Forces. The activities of ATMIS are crucial to Somalia’s journey towards security and stability, but these require consistent international support.

British Ambassador to Somalia, Mike Nithavrianakis, said of the new funding:

The UK is a close and longstanding partner of Somalia and a leading donor to ATMIS. By supporting ATMIS, we are not only investing in Somalia’s security today but also in its stability and prosperity tomorrow. I encourage traditional and non-traditional partners to financially support the successor mission to ATMIS to ensure a secure and stable future for all Somalis and the region.

Somalia’s Defence Minister, Abdikadir Mohamed Nur, welcomed UK support, noting:

This funding is critical in supporting the efforts of ATMIS and Somali security forces. We appreciate the UK’s continued partnership in rebuilding a safer and secure Somalia. The continued support of our partners will remain vital as we work towards a sustainable security environment in our country.

The African Union (AU) Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye also expressed gratitude for the UK’s contribution and emphasised the importance of continued international support:

I wish to sincerely thank the British Embassy for its continued support to the AU and for this generous and timely £7.5 million contribution to ATMIS. We urge other partners to follow the UK’s example and invest in Somalia’s security to ensure lasting peace and stability in Somalia and the wider region.

This latest contribution reinforces the UK’s continued commitment to Somalia’s security and stability for a safer and more prosperous future, while also ensuring regional stability.

UN Security Council Resolution (2748) adopted on 16 August 2024 authorises African Union Member States to continue to deploy up to 12,626 uniformed personnel - inclusive of 1,040 police personnel, to ATMIS until 31 December 2024.

Nyamulagira getting to eruption

 Proffessor Charles Balagizi, scientific director of the OVG, specified that "the eruption consists of an overflow of lava from its crater, these lavas flow on the northern, western and southwestern flanks."

He added that the latest satellite images show three lava flows forming, the most advanced having already traveled about 7 km.

"Since , around October 13, 2024 at around 22:00 local time, a glow has been observed at Nyamulagira, a consequence of this eruptive activity in the crater which is spreading on its flanks," said Professor Balagizi.

This eruption comes as OVG agents threaten to resume a total strike if the military governor of North Kivu does not respect the commitments made during a recent meeting. Some agents, who had agreed to provide a minimum service, express their concerns about the situation.

The population of Goma remains marked by the eruption of Nyiragongo in May 2021, which caused 32 deaths and destroyed several hundred homes. This eruption coincides with the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, highlighting the urgency of proactive management of natural disasters in the region.

Rwanda and DRC agree on a harmonized plan to neutralize the FDLR

 DRC and Rwanda reached an agreement on Saturday, October 12, on the activities and responsibilities contained in the harmonized plan for the neutralization of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the disengagement of forces.

This agreement is the result of the ministerial meeting between the two countries, facilitated by Angola, which took place on Saturday in Luanda, (Angola). This agreement also provides for the lifting of Rwanda's defense measures, specifies a press release from the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

To this end, the parties have mandated experts to draw up a detailed plan for the implementation of the Harmonized Plan, the report of which will have to be analyzed at the next ministerial meeting to be held on a date to be agreed, adds the same source.

During the meeting, the ministers reviewed the latest events since their last ministerial session on September 14, 2024, and urged the parties to the conflict to respect the ceasefire of August 4 this year.

Finally, the ministers also agreed to continue working on the pending security issues contained in the draft peace agreement proposed by the facilitator, Angolan President João Lourenço, Angop reports.  

Rwanda, whose armed forces are present in the DRC in support of the M23 rebels, "  makes its withdrawal from Congolese soil conditional on the neutralization of the FDLR  ," the head of Congolese diplomacy revealed to the UN Security Council in New York on October 8.

This agreement reached on the harmonized plan for the neutralization of the FDLR and disengagement of forces is an important step in the peace process between the two countries. 

The Congolese delegation at this meeting was led by Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Francophonie. The Rwandan side was led by its Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe. The mediation was represented by Tète António, Angolan Minister of External Relations.

The DRC and Rwanda have been in dialogue for several months under the mediation of Angola to find a definitive solution in terms of peace and security in the East of the DRC and in the Great Lakes sub-region.

Kinshasa accuses Kigali of supporting the M23 rebellion which occupies several localities in the province of North Kivu, in the east of the DRC, following a war it has been waging there for more than a year.

Kigali, in turn, accuses its neighbour of collaborating with the FDLR rebels who have taken refuge on its soil for more than a decade, in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide.

According to some intellugence sources,the Rwanda gorvement is expected to give a list of FDLR  whom it expects resides in  DRC,and seen by many as a hard task.

A motor boat capsizes in kivu,killing 2 and 1 missing.A boat leaving Bukwidja for Bukavu capsized in kivu killing 2 people,1 missing a

 This motor boat left Bukwidja for Bukavu at around 1 pm ,but it capsized killing 2 people,1 is missing and 17 have been rescued!!

....just wait,you will hear this news groups reporting about this.......

Is it true that 75% of M23 is made up of Rwandan soldiers?

I have been troubled by this claim for over a week...Is thus this the 450 who are claimed to have deserted and taken refuge to Uganda!! Is true that they are here in Uganda or just mere propaganda of the Western powers!

Listen and watch

SADC army officers already in Goma to assess the offensive against M23

Watch the video above