LONDON (AP) — U.S. tech company Cisco says that hundreds of thousands of routers have been compromised in preparation for what could be a major cyberattack against Ukraine.
Ukraine's Cyberpolice says in a statement that it was possible the hackers planned to strike during "large-scale events," an apparent reference to the country's upcoming Constitution Day celebrations or the Champions League final in Kiev on Saturday.
Ukraine has been locked in years-long struggle with Russia-backed separatists in the country's east and has repeatedly been hit by cyberattacks of escalating severity.
Last year witnessed the eruption of the NotPetya worm, which crippled critical systems, including hospitals , across the country. Ukraine, the United States and Britain have blamed the attack on Moscow.
Cisco says it's not clear who is behind the latest hack.