According to the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Russian hackers are attacking critical US infrastructure, including energy grids, nuclear facilities, aviation systems and military units.work of United States water, TNW reports.
A report describes numerous efforts, at least since March of 2016, where Russian hackers hit government agencies and many areas of critical US infrastructure.
Her researchers Symantec first described the threat in a report last September, noting that the malware could be linked to previous attacks from 2014. Analysis by both the FBI and DHS confirmed a team "distinctive behaviors" and eventually identified "Dragonfly", a sophisticated group of hackers supported 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 pointed to two different categories of victims: stationary and intended targets. For the initial attack, hackers often infiltrated trusted suppliers software. Knowing that these targets were often based on less secure websites than their final victim, hackers used a type of trojan horse to install malware that was actually intended 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 concern 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 ruining the 2016 presidential election by using Facebook ads intended to divide public opinion on American politics.
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…
