According to the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Russian hackers are attacking critical US infrastructures such as energy networks, nuclear facilities, aviation systems and water treatment plants in the United States, TNW said.
A report describes numerous efforts, at least since March of 2016, where Russian hackers hit government agencies and many areas of critical US infrastructure.
Symantec investigators first described the threat in a report last September, noting that the malware could be linked to previous attacks since 2014. Analysis by both the FBI and DHS confirmed a group of "separate behaviors" and eventually recognized the "Dragonfly", a sophisticated group of hackers backed by the Kremlin.
Today's report offers the first time a public confirmation by government officials that this type of attack is, or at least was, an attack by Russian hackers.
FBI and DHS officials showed two different categories of casualties: stagnant and targeted targets. For the initial attack, hackers often penetrated into trusted software vendors. Knowing that these goals were often based on less secure sites than their ultimate victim, hackers used a trojan horse to install malware that was really meant for a much larger target.
Today's report did not reveal what the software was, at least not specifically. However, he said the attacks were in "small commercial establishments" and were coordinated and targeted, and not by chance. The hackers allegedly hit vulnerable installations, with operating systems developed a decade ago.
Symantec, in its report, warned that hackers may have the ability to cause mass blackouts, although they were not sure about the scale of the problem.
Today's announcements were accompanied by new sanctions on Russia. The sanctions apply to at least three organizations and 13 individuals. Of these, perhaps the most recognizable is the Internet Research Agency, the so-called "troll farm" responsible for destroying the 2016 presidential election by using Facebook ads meant to divide American public opinion.
The Russian Federal Security Service, a kind of military intelligence service, is also on the list.
So the FBI, after Symantec, is officially pointing the finger at Russia for long-term hacking attacks on US infrastructure. Truth or fake news that supports American propaganda? Nobody knows…