Montgomery, AL – Governor Kay Ivey on Wednesday commended a federal indictment against two Sudanese nationals charged in connection with a significant cyberattack targeting Alabama state government websites, as well as hospitals, government facilities, and critical infrastructure worldwide. The indictment, unsealed earlier this month, accuses these individuals of leading and managing Anonymous Sudan, a cybercriminal group implicated in tens of thousands of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.
“Criminal activity of any kind, including that coming from outside of our state, will not be tolerated in Alabama,” Governor Ivey stated. “I am thankful for the quick action of our Office of Information Technology, and I applaud the indictment of these individuals responsible for this attempt to disrupt state government and many other operations around the world. Any individual or organization who attempts to harm our state, our citizens or our way of life will be subject to prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.”
In March, Alabama’s state government websites faced a coordinated DDoS attack. The state’s rapid response helped mitigate any access issues or damage to its network, resources, data, and infrastructure. Governor Ivey emphasized the importance of maintaining strong cybersecurity measures and praised the swift efforts taken to defend against such threats.
Although an indictment represents only an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty, the charges carry significant consequences. If convicted on all counts, the Sudanese nationals could face statutory maximum sentences ranging from five years to life in federal prison.
Governor Ivey reinforced the state’s commitment to security, saying, “We will always do what is required to protect everyone who calls Alabama home.”
