Anti-Zionist group hacks Turkish transportation app

The Ekomobil mobile application, a key tool used by residents of Kocaeli for accessing public transportation services, has been compromised by a previously unknown group calling itself “Cund El Aksa.” The group sent threatening messages to users and caused disruptions to the city’s bus services.

After gaining control of the application, the hackers sent a chilling message to subscribers, stating, “We have arrived, the soldiers of Islam have arrived; all local Zionists are our target!” This incident has raised concerns about the security of public digital services as well as the cybersecurity of government funded apps in Türkiye.

The attack did not stop at digital messages. The hackers also managed to override the bus card readers, causing them to display a warning about a potential suicide bomber. The message read, “Urgently evacuate passengers, there is a suicide bomber threat.” As a precaution, all bus services in the city were halted temporarily.

Ekomobil is a widely used app that provides real-time data on public transportation, making the hack particularly impactful for residents who rely on these services for their daily commute. The temporary suspension of bus services disrupted the day for many in Kocaeli.

Local authorities have not yet released an official statement on the hack or the extent of its impact.

The group, which has no previous record of activity, is believed to have carried out the hack to draw attention to their Telegram channel. Shortly after the attack, they posted on their channel, urging followers to spread the word on social media platforms like Twitter. The posts included messages such as “All local Zionists are our target!” and “We want you to spread our channel and share the attack on X/Twitter.”