Hackers troll prosecutor's office in advance of Russia Day protests

Hundreds were detained at the March 26 rallies, the largest protest held in Russia since 2011-12

On the eve of Monday's nationwide anti-corruption protests, that was scheduled to coincide with Russia Day, hackers broke into the Yaroslavl Region Prosecutor's Office's website and posted a joking message: “Stay at home. Or we'll put you in jail instead of Dimon.”

Dimon is a nickname for Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev that became widely used after opposition leader Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation released a film entitled “He Is Not Dimon to You,” on March 2. The film details corruption among top Russian officials, including Medvedev, and served as the catalyst for protests held across Russia on March 26.

The hackers’ embedded the “He Is Not Dimon to You” YouTube video on the Prosecutor's Office website, adding: “The Prosecutor's Office calls on citizens not to yield to provocations and to stay away from the unsanctioned events!”

By 11:15am Moscow time, however, the post had been removed, but the cache remains.

It's #Alreadygone

On Sunday morning, the Prosecutor's Office told the local publication YarNews, that it had been hacked:

? ???????? ????? ?????????? ?????????????????? ????????????? ?????????????????? ??????? ???????. ?? ??????????? ???????? ????? ??????? ???? ????????????? ????????????.

Special regional law enforcement units will audit the attack. Measures will be taken based on the Prosecutor's Office's response to the audit…

Monday's anti-corruption rallies, which are being organized by Navalny's foundation, will take place despite numerous attempts to discredit the protest movement. State-sponsored anti-Navalny videos have been uploaded on YouTube, and Navalny and his supporters have been the victims of a variety of attacks, including with the “brilliant green” antiseptic. Hundreds of demonstrators were detained at the March 26 anti-corruption rallies, the largest protests held in Russia since 2011-12.

 

This article by RuNet Echo originally appeared on Global Voices on June 11, 2017.