- The pro-Russian hacker gang Server Killers said it has taken down multiple Israeli bank websites as part of an intensifying cyber conflict tied to the US-Israel attack on Iran.
- The group listed nine financial institutions they targeted, including the Bank of Israel and many other major commercial banks.
- This escalation follows Server Killers’ pattern of launching distributed denial of service attacks on critical infrastructure, with previous targets including Danish energy companies.
Server Killers, a pro-Russian hacker group, says it has joined in the fight against Israel by disrupting the websites of major banks.
The hacker gang announced its participation in what it calls a “cyber war” in response to the US-Israel attack narrative circulating in pro-Iranian and pro-Russian online communities.
Details of Server Killers’ Alleged Attack on Israeli Banks
The group posted details on the dark web with a clear message. They said they targeted Israel’s financial sector “because of what they did in Palestine and Iran.”
Server Killers shared URLs and names of all the banks they claimed they hit. Also, they provided web addresses where people could verify the websites were actually down.
Here’s the list of the financial institutions the attack affected, according to the hacker group:
- Bank of Israel
- Bank of Jerusalem
- BNP Paribas Bank of Israel
- IBank of Israel
- Israel Postal Bank
- UBank of Israel
- Electronic Payment of Israel
The group didn’t say categorically whether the attack was just a DDoS or something more serious. Moreover, none of the banks they mentioned has released public statements to either confirm or deny the claims.
Who Exactly is Server Killers
The hacktivist collective known as Server Killers is a pro-Russian cyber-based organization that uses the technique of Distributed Denial of Service attacks as a means to disrupt governmental servers and other critical infrastructure.
They have had many successful incidents in the past where they perpetrated actions similar to these. In August last year, they went after Danish energy companies and institutions. Some of their victims include regional distribution network operator Elnet selskabet N1, transmission system operator Energinet, and Energistyrelsen, a state agency under the umbrella of the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities.
The attacks didn’t really mess with the companies’ day-to-day operation, and some security researchers think that was never the goal. The hackers just wanted to show they could break into Danish networks and slip by without anyone noticing.
The real reason for the attacks? Copenhagen’s role in Operation Eastwood. Operation Eastwood is an international crackdown that Europol championed, which led to the arrest of key members of the NoName057(16) hacker group last July.
Server Killers uses tools like Check-Host.net to provide evidence that their attacks worked. This online tool checks for website availability from multiple locations. When the hackers succeed, users see a ‘503 Service Unavailable’ message.
The Hacker Group’s Alliances
Server Killers no longer work alone; they have formed alliances with several other notorious hacker collectives. The groups in this coalition include Digital Revolt, NoName057(16), Russian CyberArmy, 2CC, Coup Team, Phoenix, Cyber Dragon, and Lulzsec Muslims.
In 2024, these groups announced coordinated cyber attacks on Moldova. They published an image showing a cloaked figure tearing Moldova’s coat of arms apart. Attached to the image was a message that read “We believe in our victory!!!”
This alliance brings groups with varying capabilities that used to operate independently together. Their cooperation significantly increases the possible impact of their attacks.
What This Means for Cybersecurity
The consequences of this attack are far more than just website downtime. When hackers target financial institutions, they’re disrupting systems that millions of people depend on every day to run their businesses and do other stuff.
This big question playing on many people’s minds has yet to be answered. Was this just a DDoS attack that will overwhelm servers with too much traffic temporarily? Or did Server Killers breach systems more deeply? The group’s post didn’t provide any technical details, and the affected banks haven’t said anything yet.
For the Israeli banks and their customers, the main concern now is service availability. But in the long run, people might also worry about whether the attackers gained deeper access to databases. After all, financial data, customer information, and transaction systems are all valuable targets for hackers.
