Pro-Russian Hacker Group Disrupts U.S. Airport Websites in Coordinated DDoS Attack A pro-Russian hacker group, Killnet, launched a series of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks against multiple U.S. airport websites early Monday, temporarily disrupting public-facing domains. The attacks, originating from within the Russian Federation, targeted over a dozen airports, including Los Angeles International (LAX), Chicago O’Hare, Denver International, and Des Moines International, by overwhelming sites with artificial traffic. The disruptions began around 3 a.m. ET, when the Port Authority alerted the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) after LaGuardia Airport’s system was hit. While LaGuardia and Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport later restored service, Denver International reported ongoing attacks as of 11 a.m. ET, though operations remained unaffected. LAX confirmed its website was partially disrupted but restored by 1 p.m. ET, with no impact on internal systems or air traffic control. A senior official described the attacks as an "inconvenience" rather than a critical threat, as they did not compromise air traffic control, airline communications, or security systems. Cybersecurity firm Mandiant attributed the attacks to Killnet, a group active since the Ukraine war and known for targeting Western allies. While Killnet has claimed responsibility for similar incidents, including recent U.S. government website outages, experts found no direct evidence of Russian state involvement. The FBI and CISA acknowledged the attacks, and engineers are working to patch vulnerabilities and reinforce defenses. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) linked the cyberattacks to Russia’s retaliation for Ukraine’s recent strike on the Crimea Bridge, calling for a strong response. Despite their visibility, DDoS attacks are typically short-lived and superficial, though they highlight ongoing cyber risks amid geopolitical tensions.