The United States Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in fresh claims, said that their access to the email system of Microsoft was misused by Russian government-backed hackers to steal correspondence between the tech giant and officials.

The new claims were made in an emergency directive which was issued by the US watchdog on Thursday (April 11).

The agency, in its directive which was dated April 2, issued a warning that the authentication details shared by Microsoft email are being exploited by hackers to gain entry into the customer systems of Microsoft, which included the systems of some unspecified number of government agencies.

Speaking to the reporters, US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) senior official Eric Goldstein said that &nbsp;“several” US federal agencies have been notified by Microsoft about the possibility of hackers stealing their emails by getting access to login information like usernames, or passwords.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korean-hackers-break-into-south-korean-chip-equipment-firms-seoul-696774">North Korean hackers broke into South Korean chip equipment firms: Seoul</a>

“At this time, we are not aware of any agency production environments that have experienced a compromise as a result of a credential exposure,” said Goldstein.&nbsp;

The US watchdog's warning that the stolen Microsoft emails are being used to target government agencies follows the announcement made by the company in March that it was still dealing with the intruders, who had been nicknamed "Midnight Blizzard."

<h2>CISA appeals to civilian agencies to increase their defences</h2>

An “emergency directive” was publicly released by CISA on Thursday (April 11) which gave orders to civilian agencies, which were likely to be affected by the hacking campaign, to increase their defences.&nbsp;

CISA said that the potential leak of agency login credentials is an “unacceptable risk to agencies.”

In an email, Microsoft said that it was "working with our customers to help them investigate and mitigate. This includes working with CISA on an emergency directive to provide guidance to government agencies."

Speaking to CNN on Thursday (April 11), a Microsoft spokesperson said, “As we shared in our March 8 blog, as we discover secrets in our exfiltrated email, we are working with our customers to help them investigate and mitigate. This includes working with CISA on an emergency directive to provide guidance to government agencies.”

Watch:&nbsp;Who is behind hacking operation against US and UK?

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Last week, the US Cyber Safety Review Board submitted a report in which China was blamed for a separate hack. It was said that the hack was preventable and it was a result of a deliberate lack of transparency and cybersecurity lapses.

CISA further said that the hackers may have tried to attack other non-governmental groups as well. "Other organisations may also have been impacted by the exfiltration of Microsoft corporate email," said CISA.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The United States Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in fresh claims, said that their access to the email system of Microsoft was misused by Russian government-backed hackers to steal correspondence between the tech giant and officials.

The United States Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in fresh claims, said that their access to the email system of Microsoft was misused by Russian government-backed hackers to steal correspondence between the tech giant and officials. The new claims were made in an emergency directive which was issued by the US watchdog on Thursday (April 11). The agency, in its directive which was dated April 2, issued a warning that the authentication details shared by Microsoft email are being exploited by hackers to gain entry into the customer systems of Microsoft, which included the systems of some unspecified number of government agencies. Speaking to the reporters, US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) senior official Eric Goldstein said that “several” US federal agencies have been notified by Microsoft about the possibility of hackers stealing their emails by getting access to login information like usernames, or passwords. Also Read: North Korean hackers broke into South Korean chip equipment firms: Seoul “At this time, we are not aware of any agency production environments that have experienced a compromise as a result of a credential exposure,” said Goldstein. The US watchdog's warning that the stolen Microsoft emails are being used to target government agencies follows the announcement made by the company in March that it was still dealing with the intruders, who had been nicknamed "Midnight Blizzard." CISA appeals to civilian agencies to increase their defences An “emergency directive” was publicly released by CISA on Thursday (April 11) which gave orders to civilian agencies, which were likely to be affected by the hacking campaign, to increase their defences. CISA said that the potential leak of agency login credentials is an “unacceptable risk to agencies.” In an email, Microsoft said that it was "working with our customers to help them investigate and mitigate. This includes working with CISA on an emergency directive to provide guidance to government agencies." Speaking to CNN on Thursday (April 11), a Microsoft spokesperson said, “As we shared in our March 8 blog, as we discover secrets in our exfiltrated email, we are working with our customers to help them investigate and mitigate. This includes working with CISA on an emergency directive to provide guidance to government agencies.” Watch: Who is behind hacking operation against US and UK? Last week, the US Cyber Safety Review Board submitted a report in which China was blamed for a separate hack. It was said that the hack was preventable and it was a result of a deliberate lack of transparency and cybersecurity lapses. CISA further said that the hackers may have tried to attack other non-governmental groups as well. "Other organisations may also have been impacted by the exfiltration of Microsoft corporate email," said CISA. (With inputs from agencies)

Russian hackers used Microsoft to access govt emails: US cyber agency

Hackers suspected of working for Russia's foreign intelligence agency targeted dozens of diplomats at embassies in Ukraine with a fake used car advert in a bid to break into their computers, according to a cybersecurity firm report published on Wednesday.

The wide-reaching espionage activity targeted diplomats working in at least 22 of the roughly 80 foreign missions in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, analysts at Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 research division said in the report.

"The campaign began with an innocuous and legitimate event," said the report, which was first reported by Reuters.

"In mid-April 2023, a diplomat within the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs emailed a legitimate flyer to various embassies advertising the sale of a used BMW 5-series sedan located in Kyiv".

The Polish diplomat, who declined to be identified citing security concerns, confirmed the role of his advertisement in the digital intrusion.

The hackers, known as APT29 or "Cozy Bear", intercepted and copied that flyer, embedded it with malicious software, then sent it to dozens of other foreign diplomats working in Kyiv, Unit 42 said.

"This is staggering in scope for what generally are narrowly scoped and clandestine advanced persistent threat (APT) operations," said the report, using an acronym often used to describe state-backed cyberespionage groups.

In 2021, U.S. and British intelligence agencies identified APT29 as an arm of Russia's foreign Intelligence Service, the SVR. The SVR did not respond to a request from Reuters for comment about the hacking campaign.

In April, Polish counterintelligence and cybersecurity authorities warned that the same group had conducted a "widespread intelligence campaign" against NATO member states, the European Union, and Africa.

Researchers at Unit 42 were able to tie the fake car advert back to the SVR because the hackers re-used certain tools and techniques which have previously been connected to the spy agency.

"Diplomatic missions will always be a high-value espionage target," the Unit 42 report said. "Sixteen months into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, intelligence surrounding Ukraine and allied diplomatic efforts are almost certainly a high priority for the Russian government".

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-blocks-delivery-of-aids-to-rebel-held-regions-of-syria-after-vetoing-un-vote-614559">Russia blocks delivery of aid to rebel-held regions of Syria after vetoing UN vote</a>

<h2>Advertisement for used BMW&nbsp;</h2>

The Polish diplomat said he had sent the original advert to various embassies in Kyiv, and that someone had called him back because the price looked "attractive".

"When I checked, I realised they were talking about a slightly lower price," the diplomat told Reuters.

SVR hackers, it turns out, had listed the diplomat's BMW for a lower price - 7,500 euros - in their fake version of the advert, in an attempt to encourage more people to download malicious software that would give them remote access to their devices, Reuters found.

That software, Unit 42 said, was disguised as an album of photographs of the used BMW. Attempts to open those photographs would have infected the target's machine, the report said.

Twenty-one of the 22 embassies targeted by the hackers and subsequently contacted by Reuters did not provide comment. It was not clear which embassies, if any, had been compromised.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson said they were "aware of the activity and based on the Directorate of Cyber and Technology Security's analysis found it did not affect Department systems or accounts."

As for the car, it was still available, the Polish diplomat told Reuters:

"I'll try to sell it in Poland, probably," he said. "After this situation, I don't want to have any more problems".

&nbsp;

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Hackers suspected of working for Russia's foreign intelligence agency targeted dozens of diplomats at embassies in Ukraine with a fake used car advert in a bid to break into their computers, according to a cybersecurity firm report published on Wednesday.

Hackers suspected of working for Russia's foreign intelligence agency targeted dozens of diplomats at embassies in Ukraine with a fake used car advert in a bid to break into their computers, according to a cybersecurity firm report published on Wednesday. The wide-reaching espionage activity targeted diplomats working in at least 22 of the roughly 80 foreign missions in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, analysts at Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 research division said in the report. "The campaign began with an innocuous and legitimate event," said the report, which was first reported by Reuters. "In mid-April 2023, a diplomat within the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs emailed a legitimate flyer to various embassies advertising the sale of a used BMW 5-series sedan located in Kyiv". The Polish diplomat, who declined to be identified citing security concerns, confirmed the role of his advertisement in the digital intrusion. The hackers, known as APT29 or "Cozy Bear", intercepted and copied that flyer, embedded it with malicious software, then sent it to dozens of other foreign diplomats working in Kyiv, Unit 42 said. "This is staggering in scope for what generally are narrowly scoped and clandestine advanced persistent threat (APT) operations," said the report, using an acronym often used to describe state-backed cyberespionage groups. In 2021, U.S. and British intelligence agencies identified APT29 as an arm of Russia's foreign Intelligence Service, the SVR. The SVR did not respond to a request from Reuters for comment about the hacking campaign. In April, Polish counterintelligence and cybersecurity authorities warned that the same group had conducted a "widespread intelligence campaign" against NATO member states, the European Union, and Africa. Researchers at Unit 42 were able to tie the fake car advert back to the SVR because the hackers re-used certain tools and techniques which have previously been connected to the spy agency. "Diplomatic missions will always be a high-value espionage target," the Unit 42 report said. "Sixteen months into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, intelligence surrounding Ukraine and allied diplomatic efforts are almost certainly a high priority for the Russian government". Also read: Russia blocks delivery of aid to rebel-held regions of Syria after vetoing UN vote Advertisement for used BMW The Polish diplomat said he had sent the original advert to various embassies in Kyiv, and that someone had called him back because the price looked "attractive". "When I checked, I realised they were talking about a slightly lower price," the diplomat told Reuters. SVR hackers, it turns out, had listed the diplomat's BMW for a lower price - 7,500 euros - in their fake version of the advert, in an attempt to encourage more people to download malicious software that would give them remote access to their devices, Reuters found. That software, Unit 42 said, was disguised as an album of photographs of the used BMW. Attempts to open those photographs would have infected the target's machine, the report said. Twenty-one of the 22 embassies targeted by the hackers and subsequently contacted by Reuters did not provide comment. It was not clear which embassies, if any, had been compromised. A U.S. State Department spokesperson said they were "aware of the activity and based on the Directorate of Cyber and Technology Security's analysis found it did not affect Department systems or accounts." As for the car, it was still available, the Polish diplomat told Reuters: "I'll try to sell it in Poland, probably," he said. "After this situation, I don't want to have any more problems". WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russian hackers lured embassy workers in Ukraine with ad for cheap BMW

Microsoft has told its customers that the hackers linked to the Russian military targeted some European military networks, energy and transportation organisations in an apparent spying attempt, CNN reported.&nbsp;

In some cases, the hackers were able to infiltrate targeted organisations successfully. The spying was even missed for months amid the escalating Russia-Ukraine war.&nbsp;

WATCH&nbsp;| Gravitas: Russian Su-27 downs US MQ-9 Reaper drone in the Black Sea

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During the ongoing Ukraine war, the Western governments and tech firms were on high alert over concerns over breaches of sensitive data. However, the report highlights that there's the possibility that Russian hacking can slip under the radar despite taking necessary steps.&nbsp;

Microsoft said that the probe began after the company received a tip-off from Ukrainian officials. The investigation of cyber activity led to the discovery that the Russian hackers used a loophole, basically an exploitation of a previously unknown flaw in Microsoft's email software, between April and December 2022.&nbsp;

Microsoft says in a security advisory: "The attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted email which triggers automatically when it is retrieved and processed by the Outlook client. This could lead to exploitation BEFORE the email is viewed in the Preview Pane."&nbsp;

Media outlets reported that Microsoft apparently fixed an Outlook zero-day vulnerability which was exploited by a hacking group linked to Russia's military intelligence service GRU.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

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v

Microsoft has told its customers that the hackers linked to the Russian military targeted some European military networks, energy and transportation organisations in an apparent spying attempt, CNN reported.

Microsoft has told its customers that the hackers linked to the Russian military targeted some European military networks, energy and transportation organisations in an apparent spying attempt, CNN reported. In some cases, the hackers were able to infiltrate targeted organisations successfully. The spying was even missed for months amid the escalating Russia-Ukraine war. WATCH | Gravitas: Russian Su-27 downs US MQ-9 Reaper drone in the Black Sea × During the ongoing Ukraine war, the Western governments and tech firms were on high alert over concerns over breaches of sensitive data. However, the report highlights that there's the possibility that Russian hacking can slip under the radar despite taking necessary steps. Microsoft said that the probe began after the company received a tip-off from Ukrainian officials. The investigation of cyber activity led to the discovery that the Russian hackers used a loophole, basically an exploitation of a previously unknown flaw in Microsoft's email software, between April and December 2022. Microsoft says in a security advisory: "The attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted email which triggers automatically when it is retrieved and processed by the Outlook client. This could lead to exploitation BEFORE the email is viewed in the Preview Pane." Media outlets reported that Microsoft apparently fixed an Outlook zero-day vulnerability which was exploited by a hacking group linked to Russia's military intelligence service GRU. Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. v

Russian military-linked hackers spied on European military, energy firms: Microsoft

UK has warned that a Russia-based hacking group named Cold River has been holding an expansive and ongoing information-gathering campaign in the country. An advisory issued by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said that the group has already struck various targets in government, politics, academia, defence, journalism, and activism. It further warned that Iranian hackers are also at play.&nbsp;

The body, that is a part of Britain's GCHQ eavesdropping intelligence agency, said that the hackers mostly target those doing research and work about Iran and Russia.

The researches said that the hackers target and impersonate people around them using fake email addresses and social media profiles.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-hackers-targeted-us-nuclear-scientists-550126">Russian hackers targeted US nuclear scientists</a>

"There is often some correspondence between attacker and target, sometimes over an extended period, as the attacker builds rapport," the advisory said.

They then send fake invites to events or Zoom meetings containing malicious code. If the user clicks on the link, he is tricked into entering his login credentials on a website controlled by the group, the advisory said. This compromises their accounts and lets the hacker gain access to sensitive information.

An Iran-based group, known as Charming Kitten, has also used the same "spear-phishing" techniques to gather information, according to the NCSC. Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York said the Iranian government knows nothing about the group.

Russia's embassies in London and Washington have not said anything on the matter yet. The advisory did not directly attribute the digital attacks to the Russian government.

The hackers can access the victim's email accounts, "from where they are known to access and steal emails and attachments from the victim's inbox," it added.

A Reuters report said that Cold River, also known as "Callisto" and "Seaborgium", targeted three nuclear research laboratories in the United States last summer. It also published private emails from former British spymaster Richard Dearlove in May.

Reacting to the advisory, Russia's Foreign Ministry called it anti-Russian propaganda.

(With inputs from agencies)

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UK has warned that a Russia-based hacking group named Cold River has been holding an expansive and ongoing information-gathering campaign in the country. An advisory issued by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said that the group has already struck various targets in government, politics, academia, defence, journalism, and activism.

UK has warned that a Russia-based hacking group named Cold River has been holding an expansive and ongoing information-gathering campaign in the country. An advisory issued by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said that the group has already struck various targets in government, politics, academia, defence, journalism, and activism. It further warned that Iranian hackers are also at play. The body, that is a part of Britain's GCHQ eavesdropping intelligence agency, said that the hackers mostly target those doing research and work about Iran and Russia. The researches said that the hackers target and impersonate people around them using fake email addresses and social media profiles. Also Read | Russian hackers targeted US nuclear scientists "There is often some correspondence between attacker and target, sometimes over an extended period, as the attacker builds rapport," the advisory said. They then send fake invites to events or Zoom meetings containing malicious code. If the user clicks on the link, he is tricked into entering his login credentials on a website controlled by the group, the advisory said. This compromises their accounts and lets the hacker gain access to sensitive information. An Iran-based group, known as Charming Kitten, has also used the same "spear-phishing" techniques to gather information, according to the NCSC. Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York said the Iranian government knows nothing about the group. Russia's embassies in London and Washington have not said anything on the matter yet. The advisory did not directly attribute the digital attacks to the Russian government. The hackers can access the victim's email accounts, "from where they are known to access and steal emails and attachments from the victim's inbox," it added. A Reuters report said that Cold River, also known as "Callisto" and "Seaborgium", targeted three nuclear research laboratories in the United States last summer. It also published private emails from former British spymaster Richard Dearlove in May. Reacting to the advisory, Russia's Foreign Ministry called it anti-Russian propaganda. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

UK warns of Russia and Iran-based hacker groups targeting politicians and journalists

A Russian hacking team known as Cold River targeted three nuclear research laboratories in the United States this past summer, according to internet records reviewed by Reuters and five cyber security experts.

Russian hackers reportedly targeted three U.S. nuclear research laboratories

Hours after&nbsp;Australian Federal Police (AFP) blamed Russian hackers for the Medibank hack, the Russian embassy on Friday evening released a statement, criticising AFP and its&nbsp;Commissioner Reece&nbsp;Kershaw's decision to openly blame Moscow.&nbsp;

"For some reason, this announcement was made before the AFP even contacted the Russian side through the existing professional channels of communication," read the statement.&nbsp;

"We encourage the AFP to duly get in touch with the respective Russian law enforcement agencies."

The Russian embassy added that fighting cybercrime that affects people's lives and damages businesses, "demands a cooperative, non-politicised and responsible approach from all members of the world community."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/medibank-leak-hackers-demand-ransom-to-stop-leaking-records-532968">WATCH |&nbsp;Medibank leak: Hackers demand ransom to stop leaking records</a>

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What did Australian authorities say?

As reported by WION, on Friday, AFP chief&nbsp;Kershaw blamed Russia after&nbsp;another tranche of data from the medical insurer firm related to abortion was leaked online.&nbsp;

“The AFP is undertaking covert measures and working around the clock with our domestic agencies and our international networks including Interpol. This is important, because&nbsp;we believe those responsible for the breach are in Russia,”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/medibank-data-leak-hackers-now-release-info-related-to-abortion-533115">Read more: Medibank data leak: Australian police blame Russian hackers</a>

AFP chief Kershaw said that they will be holding talks with the Russian law effacement to nab the cyber criminals.

“Our intelligence points to a group of loosely affiliated cybercriminals who are likely responsible for past significant breaches in countries across the world. These cybercriminals are operating like a business with affiliates and associates who are supporting the business. We also believe some affiliates may be in other countries,” he said.

What has happened at Medibank?

Medibank, the largest health insurance company in&nbsp;Australia covering&nbsp;one-sixth of its citizens had its data breached by hackers. Since then, the&nbsp;medical and personal information of its customers has been released on dark web with hackers demanding ransom for the data.&nbsp;

Among the customers of Medibank is Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who expressed concern that his personal information, among those leaked, might also be available to the public.

"I’m disgusted by the Medibank attack. And I know all Australians are rightly distressed by the release of deeply personal information. We need to stand together at a time like this," tweeted Albanese.&nbsp;

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I’m disgusted by the Medibank attack. 
 
And I know all Australians are rightly distressed by the release of deeply personal information. 
 
We need to stand together at a time like this. <a href="https://t.co/Rjz5zLha08">pic.twitter.com/Rjz5zLha08</a>
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The company, however, has assured that no credit card or banking details were accessed in the leak.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Hours after Australian Federal Police (AFP) blamed Russian hackers for the Medibank hack, the Russian embassy on Friday evening released a statement, criticising AFP and its Commissioner Reece Kershaw's decision to openly blame Moscow.

Hours after Australian Federal Police (AFP) blamed Russian hackers for the Medibank hack, the Russian embassy on Friday evening released a statement, criticising AFP and its Commissioner Reece Kershaw's decision to openly blame Moscow. "For some reason, this announcement was made before the AFP even contacted the Russian side through the existing professional channels of communication," read the statement. "We encourage the AFP to duly get in touch with the respective Russian law enforcement agencies." The Russian embassy added that fighting cybercrime that affects people's lives and damages businesses, "demands a cooperative, non-politicised and responsible approach from all members of the world community." WATCH | Medibank leak: Hackers demand ransom to stop leaking records × What did Australian authorities say? As reported by WION, on Friday, AFP chief Kershaw blamed Russia after another tranche of data from the medical insurer firm related to abortion was leaked online. “The AFP is undertaking covert measures and working around the clock with our domestic agencies and our international networks including Interpol. This is important, because we believe those responsible for the breach are in Russia,” Read more: Medibank data leak: Australian police blame Russian hackers AFP chief Kershaw said that they will be holding talks with the Russian law effacement to nab the cyber criminals. “Our intelligence points to a group of loosely affiliated cybercriminals who are likely responsible for past significant breaches in countries across the world. These cybercriminals are operating like a business with affiliates and associates who are supporting the business. We also believe some affiliates may be in other countries,” he said. What has happened at Medibank? Medibank, the largest health insurance company in Australia covering one-sixth of its citizens had its data breached by hackers. Since then, the medical and personal information of its customers has been released on dark web with hackers demanding ransom for the data. Among the customers of Medibank is Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who expressed concern that his personal information, among those leaked, might also be available to the public. "I’m disgusted by the Medibank attack. And I know all Australians are rightly distressed by the release of deeply personal information. We need to stand together at a time like this," tweeted Albanese. I’m disgusted by the Medibank attack. And I know all Australians are rightly distressed by the release of deeply personal information. We need to stand together at a time like this. pic.twitter.com/Rjz5zLha08 — Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) November 11, 2022 × The company, however, has assured that no credit card or banking details were accessed in the leak. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Medibank data leak: Russia responds after Australian police blame hackers based in Russia

A Treasury Department investigation made public on Tuesday has revealed that Russian hackers' payment-seeking software was utilised in 75 per cent of all ransomware attacks reported to a US financial crime agency in the second half of 2021.

The US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) reported that in 2021, it had received 1,489 ransomware-related filings totalling nearly $1.2 billion, a 188 per cent increase from the year before.

Watch |&nbsp;WION Business News | Singapore sets up Ransomware task force

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According to the analysis, 75 per cent of the 793 ransomware occurrences that FinCEN received in the second half of 2021 "had a nexus to Russia, its proxies, or persons acting on its behalf," reports Reuters.

The report comes as Washington prepares to host a meeting with representatives from 36 nations, the European Union, and 13 international corporations to discuss the growing threat posed by ransomware and other forms of cybercrime, including the unauthorised use of cryptocurrency.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ferrari-falls-victim-to-ransomware-attack-7gb-of-its-internal-documents-made-public-522248">Ferrari falls victim to ransomware attack; 7GB of its internal documents made public</a>

Since late 2020, there has been an increase in the quantity and seriousness of ransomware attacks against vital infrastructure in the United States.

These attacks work by encrypting the data of victims using ransomware, and in lieu of a key in exchange for the said data, hackers demand cryptocurrency payments that can amount to millions of dollars.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A Treasury Department investigation made public on Tuesday has revealed that Russian hackers' payment-seeking software was utilised in 75 per cent of all ransomware attacks reported to a US financial crime agency in the second half of 2021.

A Treasury Department investigation made public on Tuesday has revealed that Russian hackers' payment-seeking software was utilised in 75 per cent of all ransomware attacks reported to a US financial crime agency in the second half of 2021. The US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) reported that in 2021, it had received 1,489 ransomware-related filings totalling nearly $1.2 billion, a 188 per cent increase from the year before. Watch | WION Business News | Singapore sets up Ransomware task force According to the analysis, 75 per cent of the 793 ransomware occurrences that FinCEN received in the second half of 2021 "had a nexus to Russia, its proxies, or persons acting on its behalf," reports Reuters. The report comes as Washington prepares to host a meeting with representatives from 36 nations, the European Union, and 13 international corporations to discuss the growing threat posed by ransomware and other forms of cybercrime, including the unauthorised use of cryptocurrency. Also read | Ferrari falls victim to ransomware attack; 7GB of its internal documents made public Since late 2020, there has been an increase in the quantity and seriousness of ransomware attacks against vital infrastructure in the United States. These attacks work by encrypting the data of victims using ransomware, and in lieu of a key in exchange for the said data, hackers demand cryptocurrency payments that can amount to millions of dollars. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russian hackers behind 75% of ransomware attacks reported in second half of 2021: US

Norway was hit by a cyberattack that temporarily shut down websites of several private and public institutions. &nbsp;Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said that the attack “has not caused any significant damage” to his knowledge.

In the last 24 hours, a number of institutions, including the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority, were subjected to distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) cyberattack, the Norwegian National Security Authority said.

The aortitis believe that pro-Russian hackers might be responsible for this attack.

"We are working to find out whether there is a link with state-sponsored actors," NSM chief Sofie Nystroem later told broadcaster TV2.

"We are quite certain that no sensitive information was taken."

The attacks come days after Russia threatened to take “retaliatory measures” after Norway imposed sanctions, blocking&nbsp;goods destined for Russian-populated settlements on the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard.

Norwegian media reported that the country’s ambassador to Moscow was summoned to the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday for a complaint over Russian supplies being prevented from transiting via Norway to an Arctic Russian coal-mining settlement.

Svalbard, located midway between Norway’s north coast and the North Pole, is part of Norway, but Russia has the right to exploit the archipelago’s natural resources under a treaty signed in 1920, and some settlements on the archipelago are populated mainly by Russians.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vladmir-putin-issues-warning-to-finland-and-sweden-on-installing-nato-infrastructure-493118">Putin issues warning to Finland and Sweden on installing NATO infrastructure</a>

Norway, which is not in the European Union but enforces&nbsp;EU sanctions&nbsp;against Russia, has said sanctions would not affect the transport of goods by ship to Svalbard.

Norway’s restrictions have disrupted the work of the Russian consulate-general on Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago, and a Russian coal mining settlement there, the Russian foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-joe-biden-announces-to-deploy-more-american-troops-across-europe-to-counter-russia-493128" hreflang="en">US President Joe Biden announces to deploy more American troops across Europe to counter Russia</a>

Moscow has long wanted a bigger say in the archipelago, which it insists on calling Spitsbergen rather than the Norwegian Svalbard and has been a haunt of its hunters, whalers and fishermen since the 16th century.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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Norway was hit by a cyberattack that temporarily shut down websites of several private and public institutions. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said that the attack “has not caused any significant damage” to his knowledge.

Norway was hit by a cyberattack that temporarily shut down websites of several private and public institutions. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said that the attack “has not caused any significant damage” to his knowledge. In the last 24 hours, a number of institutions, including the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority, were subjected to distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) cyberattack, the Norwegian National Security Authority said. The aortitis believe that pro-Russian hackers might be responsible for this attack. "We are working to find out whether there is a link with state-sponsored actors," NSM chief Sofie Nystroem later told broadcaster TV2. "We are quite certain that no sensitive information was taken." The attacks come days after Russia threatened to take “retaliatory measures” after Norway imposed sanctions, blocking goods destined for Russian-populated settlements on the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. Norwegian media reported that the country’s ambassador to Moscow was summoned to the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday for a complaint over Russian supplies being prevented from transiting via Norway to an Arctic Russian coal-mining settlement. Svalbard, located midway between Norway’s north coast and the North Pole, is part of Norway, but Russia has the right to exploit the archipelago’s natural resources under a treaty signed in 1920, and some settlements on the archipelago are populated mainly by Russians. Also read | Putin issues warning to Finland and Sweden on installing NATO infrastructure Norway, which is not in the European Union but enforces EU sanctions against Russia, has said sanctions would not affect the transport of goods by ship to Svalbard. Norway’s restrictions have disrupted the work of the Russian consulate-general on Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago, and a Russian coal mining settlement there, the Russian foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Also read | US President Joe Biden announces to deploy more American troops across Europe to counter Russia Moscow has long wanted a bigger say in the archipelago, which it insists on calling Spitsbergen rather than the Norwegian Svalbard and has been a haunt of its hunters, whalers and fishermen since the 16th century. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Hit by cyberattack, Norway suspects pro-Russian hackers

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos, and videos.&nbsp;

The United Kingdom's defence ministry said on Tuesday (April 26) that it is probing a Russian hack that is targeting its army recruits.

According to a report published in the British newspaper Daily Mail, the main suspect of the cyberattack was "feared to have been a Russian agent."&nbsp;

''The incident is a very poor reflection on our own IT,'' said James Heappey, UK's minister of armed forces, said in response.

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The country's defence ministry has "ordered an urgent review of our IT security as a consequence," he added.

Russian hackers illegally accessed the personal records of 124 army candidates as per the report.

''But it is thought hundreds more could have been at risk," the report stated.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-unleashes-string-of-attack-against-ukraines-rail-fuel-facilities-473702" hreflang="en">Russia unleashes string of attacks against Ukraine's rail, fuel facilities</a>

Earlier, Heappey downplayed Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's warning about the real threat of World War III breaking out.

Lavrov said, "It is real, you can't underestimate it."

"Lavrov's trademark over the course of 15 years or so that he has been the Russian foreign secretary has been that sort of bravado. I don't think that right now there is an imminent threat of escalation," BBC reported Heappey as saying.

"What the West is doing to support its allies in Ukraine is very well-calibrated," he added.

Russia has accused NATO of providing military aid to Ukraine, which Heappey denied saying the alliance is only reinforcing its eastern flank.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NATO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NATO</a> Allies have increased the number of fighter jets on alert✈️ 
 
They’re conducting around the clock air patrols over Bulgaria 🇧🇬, Estonia 🇪🇪, Latvia 🇱🇻, Lithuania 🇱🇹, Poland🇵🇱 and Romania 🇷🇴 to secure Allied air space <a href="https://t.co/q794ny35mA">pic.twitter.com/q794ny35mA</a>
— NATO (@NATO) <a href="https://twitter.com/NATO/status/1514548998316736515?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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"It suits the Kremlin's narrative to claim that they are somehow in a confrontation with NATO. They were saying that before the war even began, but that is nonsense and Lavrov knows it," Heappey said.

He believes that NATO should not underestimate the considerable risks of nuclear conflict.

Watch WION live TV here:

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The UK, along with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States is a part of the ''Five Eyes'' intelligence-sharing network.

Last week, it issued a warning that all countries supporting Ukraine will face powerful cyberattacks by Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called Moscow's attack on Ukraine a ''special military operation'' to disarm and ''denazify'' it.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos, and videos.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos, and videos. The United Kingdom's defence ministry said on Tuesday (April 26) that it is probing a Russian hack that is targeting its army recruits. According to a report published in the British newspaper Daily Mail, the main suspect of the cyberattack was "feared to have been a Russian agent." ''The incident is a very poor reflection on our own IT,'' said James Heappey, UK's minister of armed forces, said in response. The country's defence ministry has "ordered an urgent review of our IT security as a consequence," he added. Russian hackers illegally accessed the personal records of 124 army candidates as per the report. ''But it is thought hundreds more could have been at risk," the report stated. Also read | Russia unleashes string of attacks against Ukraine's rail, fuel facilities Earlier, Heappey downplayed Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's warning about the real threat of World War III breaking out. Lavrov said, "It is real, you can't underestimate it." "Lavrov's trademark over the course of 15 years or so that he has been the Russian foreign secretary has been that sort of bravado. I don't think that right now there is an imminent threat of escalation," BBC reported Heappey as saying. "What the West is doing to support its allies in Ukraine is very well-calibrated," he added. Russia has accused NATO of providing military aid to Ukraine, which Heappey denied saying the alliance is only reinforcing its eastern flank. #NATO Allies have increased the number of fighter jets on alert✈️ They’re conducting around the clock air patrols over Bulgaria 🇧🇬, Estonia 🇪🇪, Latvia 🇱🇻, Lithuania 🇱🇹, Poland🇵🇱 and Romania 🇷🇴 to secure Allied air space pic.twitter.com/q794ny35mA — NATO (@NATO) April 14, 2022 × "It suits the Kremlin's narrative to claim that they are somehow in a confrontation with NATO. They were saying that before the war even began, but that is nonsense and Lavrov knows it," Heappey said. He believes that NATO should not underestimate the considerable risks of nuclear conflict. Watch WION live TV here: The UK, along with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States is a part of the ''Five Eyes'' intelligence-sharing network. Last week, it issued a warning that all countries supporting Ukraine will face powerful cyberattacks by Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has called Moscow's attack on Ukraine a ''special military operation'' to disarm and ''denazify'' it. (With inputs from agencies)

United Kingdom's defence ministry investigating Russian hack targeting its army recruits

United States officials announced on Wednesday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has taken&nbsp;control of thousands of firewall appliances and routers away from Russian military hackers by hijacking the technology that they were using in order to operate the devices.<o:p></o:p>

According to Reuters, an unsealed redacted affidavit stated that the operation was a pre-emptive move on the part of the authorities to stop the hackers from using the devices into forming a ‘botnet’ which is described as a network of hacked systems that can attack other servers.<o:p></o:p>

"Fortunately, we were able to disrupt this botnet before it could be used,” US Attorney General Merrick Garland was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-and-israel-to-convert-passenger-aircraft-into-strategic-transporters-as-part-of-make-in-india-468989" hreflang="en">India and Israel to convert passenger aircraft into strategic transporters</a><o:p></o:p>

The affidavit further stated that the botnet was supposed to be controlled through a malware known as Cyclops Blink, which the US and UK agencies attribute to one of the Russian military service’s hacking teams called ‘Sandworm’ who are known for these kinds of attacks.<o:p></o:p>

Research conducted by private cybersecurity firms believe that Cyclops Blink was designed to hijack a number of devices manufactured by ASUSTek computers and Watchguard technologies.<o:p></o:p>

According to the Reuters report, Watchguard confirmed that they were working with the US Justice Department in the operation and in their statement, the company stated that the percentage of devices affected by the malware was just one percent.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/china-backed-hackers-waged-cyberattacks-on-indian-power-grid-system-near-ladakh-report-468983">China-backed hackers waged cyberattacks on Indian power grid system: Report</a><o:p></o:p>

The FBI took court’s approval before taking over thousands of routers and other appliances in order to delete the necessary malwares, according to organisation director Chris Wray.<o:p></o:p>

"We removed malware from devices used by thousands of mostly small businesses for network security all over the world," Wray said. "We shut the door the Russians had used to get into them."

<o:p>WATCH |&nbsp;</o:p>Russia-Ukraine conflict: Ukraine asks for more weapons from NATO

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(With inputs from agencies)

United States officials announced on Wednesday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has taken control of thousands of firewall appliances and routers away from Russian military hackers by hijacking the technology that they were using in order to operate the devices.

United States officials announced on Wednesday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has taken control of thousands of firewall appliances and routers away from Russian military hackers by hijacking the technology that they were using in order to operate the devices. According to Reuters, an unsealed redacted affidavit stated that the operation was a pre-emptive move on the part of the authorities to stop the hackers from using the devices into forming a ‘botnet’ which is described as a network of hacked systems that can attack other servers. "Fortunately, we were able to disrupt this botnet before it could be used,” US Attorney General Merrick Garland was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency. Also read | India and Israel to convert passenger aircraft into strategic transporters The affidavit further stated that the botnet was supposed to be controlled through a malware known as Cyclops Blink, which the US and UK agencies attribute to one of the Russian military service’s hacking teams called ‘Sandworm’ who are known for these kinds of attacks. Research conducted by private cybersecurity firms believe that Cyclops Blink was designed to hijack a number of devices manufactured by ASUSTek computers and Watchguard technologies. According to the Reuters report, Watchguard confirmed that they were working with the US Justice Department in the operation and in their statement, the company stated that the percentage of devices affected by the malware was just one percent. Also read | China-backed hackers waged cyberattacks on Indian power grid system: Report The FBI took court’s approval before taking over thousands of routers and other appliances in order to delete the necessary malwares, according to organisation director Chris Wray. "We removed malware from devices used by thousands of mostly small businesses for network security all over the world," Wray said. "We shut the door the Russians had used to get into them." WATCH | Russia-Ukraine conflict: Ukraine asks for more weapons from NATO (With inputs from agencies)

FBI disrupts Russian hackers, takes away control of routers and firewall appliances

Russian&nbsp;hackers&nbsp;have recently attempted to penetrate the networks of&nbsp;NATO&nbsp;and the&nbsp;militaries&nbsp;of some&nbsp;eastern&nbsp;European&nbsp;countries,&nbsp;Google's Threat Analysis Group said in a report published on Wednesday.

The report did not say which&nbsp;militaries&nbsp;had been&nbsp;targeted&nbsp;in what&nbsp;Google&nbsp;described as "credential phishing campaigns" launched by a&nbsp;Russian-based group called Coldriver, or Callisto.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/morning-news-brief-zelensky-dismisses-russian-claims-of-scaleback-pakistan-politics-and-more-467041">Morning news brief: Zelensky dismisses Russian claims of scaleback, Pakistan politics, and more</a>

"These campaigns were sent using newly created Gmail accounts to non-Google&nbsp;accounts, so the success rate of these campaigns is unknown," the report&nbsp;said.

Russia, which is now under heavy Western economic sanctions following its decision to invade Ukraine on Feb. 24, regularly denies accusations of mounting cyber attacks on Western targets.

In 2019, Finnish cybersecurity firm F-Secure Labs described Callisto as an unidentified and advanced threat actor "interested in intelligence gathering related to foreign and security policy" in Europe.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-may-single-out-and-detain-us-citizens-state-dept-issues-another-travel-advisory-466846">‘Russia may single out and detain US citizens’: State Dept issues another travel advisory</a>

The group also&nbsp;targeted&nbsp;a&nbsp;NATO&nbsp;Centre of Excellence, Wednesday's&nbsp;Google&nbsp;report said, without elaborating.

In a statement,&nbsp;NATO&nbsp;did not directly address&nbsp;Google's report but said: "We see malicious cyber activity on a daily basis."

"NATO&nbsp;Centres of Excellence work alongside the Alliance but they are not part of&nbsp;NATO&nbsp;as such. We are in touch with them on this issue," the statement said.

Watch |&nbsp;United States: Putin misled on how war progressed

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Russian hackers have recently attempted to penetrate the networks of NATO and the militaries of some eastern European countries, Google's Threat Analysis Group said in a report published on Wednesday.

Russian hackers have recently attempted to penetrate the networks of NATO and the militaries of some eastern European countries, Google's Threat Analysis Group said in a report published on Wednesday. The report did not say which militaries had been targeted in what Google described as "credential phishing campaigns" launched by a Russian-based group called Coldriver, or Callisto. Also read | Morning news brief: Zelensky dismisses Russian claims of scaleback, Pakistan politics, and more "These campaigns were sent using newly created Gmail accounts to non-Google accounts, so the success rate of these campaigns is unknown," the report said. Russia, which is now under heavy Western economic sanctions following its decision to invade Ukraine on Feb. 24, regularly denies accusations of mounting cyber attacks on Western targets. In 2019, Finnish cybersecurity firm F-Secure Labs described Callisto as an unidentified and advanced threat actor "interested in intelligence gathering related to foreign and security policy" in Europe. Also read | ‘Russia may single out and detain US citizens’: State Dept issues another travel advisory The group also targeted a NATO Centre of Excellence, Wednesday's Google report said, without elaborating. In a statement, NATO did not directly address Google's report but said: "We see malicious cyber activity on a daily basis." "NATO Centres of Excellence work alongside the Alliance but they are not part of NATO as such. We are in touch with them on this issue," the statement said. Watch | United States: Putin misled on how war progressed

Russian hackers targeted NATO, eastern European militaries: Google

The US Department of Justice said a nuclear power plant in Kansas was the target of hackers organised by Russia's spy agency.

The department alleged that "all Russian nationals who worked for the Russian government, with attempting, supporting and conducting computer intrusions that together, in two separate conspiracies, targeted the global energy sector between 2012 and 2018."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-casus-belli-amid-ukraine-crisis-russia-space-agency-head-says-satellite-hacking-would-justify-war-458357">Also Read:&nbsp;Russia space agency head says satellite hacking would justify war</a>

The unsealed criminal charges alleged that "spearphishing attacks were successful" were carried out to "compromise of the business network" of the Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation (Wolf Creek) in Burlington, Kansas, which operates a nuclear power plant.&nbsp;

"During the Dragonfly 2.0 phase, the conspirators also undertook a watering hole attack by compromising servers that hosted websites commonly visited by ICS/SCADA system," the agency said in a statement.&nbsp;

Justice Department officials unsealed two indictments charging four Russian nationals who reportedly worked for the Russian government while informing that hacking campaigns targeted thousands of computers including companies in nearly 135 countries.

Watch:&nbsp;Hackers part of Ukraine's digital battle against Russia

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The agency informed that in August 2021 indictments&nbsp;involved "two-phased campaign undertaken by three officers of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB)" which aimed at computer networks related to "energy sector worldwide".

Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco said: "Russian state-sponsored hackers pose a serious and persistent threat to critical infrastructure both in the United States and around the world."&nbsp;

The US government has already enhanced private sector network defence and released "alerts and malware analysis reports regarding Russia's malign cyber activities", it said.

In June last year, a jury in the US had charged a person named Evgeny Viktorovich Gladkik, 36, allegedly affiliated to the Russian defence ministry who had reportedly hacked the systems of a foreign refinery and installed malware along with "co-conspirators".

Gladkik&nbsp;has been charged with conspiracy to damage an energy facility which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

(With inputs from Agencies)

The US Department of Justice said a nuclear power plant in Kansas was the target of hackers organised by Russia's spy agency. The department alleged that "all Russian nationals who worked for the Russian government, with attempting, supporting and conducting computer intrusions that together, in two separate conspiracies, targeted the global energy sector between 2012 and 2018.

The US Department of Justice said a nuclear power plant in Kansas was the target of hackers organised by Russia's spy agency. The department alleged that "all Russian nationals who worked for the Russian government, with attempting, supporting and conducting computer intrusions that together, in two separate conspiracies, targeted the global energy sector between 2012 and 2018." Also Read: Russia space agency head says satellite hacking would justify war The unsealed criminal charges alleged that "spearphishing attacks were successful" were carried out to "compromise of the business network" of the Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation (Wolf Creek) in Burlington, Kansas, which operates a nuclear power plant. "During the Dragonfly 2.0 phase, the conspirators also undertook a watering hole attack by compromising servers that hosted websites commonly visited by ICS/SCADA system," the agency said in a statement. Justice Department officials unsealed two indictments charging four Russian nationals who reportedly worked for the Russian government while informing that hacking campaigns targeted thousands of computers including companies in nearly 135 countries. Watch: Hackers part of Ukraine's digital battle against Russia The agency informed that in August 2021 indictments involved "two-phased campaign undertaken by three officers of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB)" which aimed at computer networks related to "energy sector worldwide". Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco said: "Russian state-sponsored hackers pose a serious and persistent threat to critical infrastructure both in the United States and around the world." The US government has already enhanced private sector network defence and released "alerts and malware analysis reports regarding Russia's malign cyber activities", it said. In June last year, a jury in the US had charged a person named Evgeny Viktorovich Gladkik, 36, allegedly affiliated to the Russian defence ministry who had reportedly hacked the systems of a foreign refinery and installed malware along with "co-conspirators". Gladkik has been charged with conspiracy to damage an energy facility which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. (With inputs from Agencies)

Russian hackers targeted Kansas nuclear plant: US Department of Justice

Russia is said to be linked to a majority of ransomware and cyber attacks across the world, according to new report which claims that 74 per cent of revenue made through such attacks last year went to Russian-linked hackers.

According to a new report from cryptocurrency tracking and analytics firm, Chainalysis, more than $400 million worth of crypto-currency payments went to groups “highly likely to be affiliated with Russia” in 2021.

Analysts also claimed that “a huge amount of crypto-currency-based money laundering” goes through Russian crypto-companies.

The study is part of Chainalysis’ 2022 Crypto Crime Report focused on several dozen companies with a presence in Moscow city.

The report states that there are three key characteristics that reveal the Russian hand behind such cyberattacks.

Firstly, their ransomware code is written to prevent it from damaging files if it detects the victim's computers are located in Russia or a Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) country- an intergovernmental organisation of Russian-speaking, former Soviet countries.

Secondly, the gang operates in Russian on Russian-speaking forums.

And thirdly, the gang is linked to Evil Corp - an alleged cyber-crime group wanted by the US.

“A huge amount of cryptocurrency-based money laundering, not just of ransomware funds but of funds associated with other forms of cybercrime as well, goes through services with substantial operations in Russia,” Chainalysis says in a&nbsp;blog post.

According to a Bloomberg report, the Federation Tower, located in the heart of Moscow City, houses several prominent businesses headquarters and a thriving cybercrime collective.

For years Russia has denied that it was harbouring hackers.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters at his 2021 summit with US President Joe Biden that his own intelligence shows "Russia is not listed in this ranking of countries that see the most significant number of cyber-attacks from their territory."

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia is said to be linked to a majority of ransomware and cyber attacks across the world, according to new report which claims that 74 per cent of revenue made through such attacks last year went to Russian-linked hackers.

Russia is said to be linked to a majority of ransomware and cyber attacks across the world, according to new report which claims that 74 per cent of revenue made through such attacks last year went to Russian-linked hackers. According to a new report from cryptocurrency tracking and analytics firm, Chainalysis, more than $400 million worth of crypto-currency payments went to groups “highly likely to be affiliated with Russia” in 2021. Analysts also claimed that “a huge amount of crypto-currency-based money laundering” goes through Russian crypto-companies. The study is part of Chainalysis’ 2022 Crypto Crime Report focused on several dozen companies with a presence in Moscow city. The report states that there are three key characteristics that reveal the Russian hand behind such cyberattacks. Firstly, their ransomware code is written to prevent it from damaging files if it detects the victim's computers are located in Russia or a Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) country- an intergovernmental organisation of Russian-speaking, former Soviet countries. Secondly, the gang operates in Russian on Russian-speaking forums. And thirdly, the gang is linked to Evil Corp - an alleged cyber-crime group wanted by the US. “A huge amount of cryptocurrency-based money laundering, not just of ransomware funds but of funds associated with other forms of cybercrime as well, goes through services with substantial operations in Russia,” Chainalysis says in a blog post. According to a Bloomberg report, the Federation Tower, located in the heart of Moscow City, houses several prominent businesses headquarters and a thriving cybercrime collective. For years Russia has denied that it was harbouring hackers. Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters at his 2021 summit with US President Joe Biden that his own intelligence shows "Russia is not listed in this ranking of countries that see the most significant number of cyber-attacks from their territory." (With inputs from agencies)

Russia responsible for 74% of ransomware attacks in world, hackers bagged $400mn in crypto: Report

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the United States will seek global rules on how to prevent misuse of artificial intelligence&nbsp;as he renewed warnings against Russia over hacking.

His remarks come amid mounting concern about hacking for ransom, including an&nbsp;attack&nbsp;that shut down a major fuel pipeline in the United States.

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President Joe Biden said he warned his counterpart Vladimir Putin in a telephone call&nbsp;that the United States would take action,&nbsp;a message reiterated by Blinken.

These increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks represent a new type of warfare aimed at disorganising and even destroying a nation's economy. This has been called 'hybrid warfare.'

It's a mixture of conventional and unconventional methods used against a much stronger adversary that aims to achieve political objectives that would not be possible with traditional warfare.

The problem is often identifying the culprits. In hybrid warfare the state responsible for the actions will often use non-state actors, which allows it to deny responsibility.

But over the past two decades, many cyber-attacks targeting western state institutions and businesses have been far more sophisticated than a couple of tech-savvy individuals operating as 'lone wolves'&nbsp;and bear the hallmarks of actions taken with the support or approval of a hostile government.

Without a doubt, several major nations,&nbsp;particularly Russia, but also China and Iran at the very least, have become adept at using leaks, rumour and political subterfuge to support their geopolitical ends.

The problem, though, is that growing forces within Western countries have also embraced very much the same tactics. It makes getting to the bottom of what is really going on difficult, sometimes impossible. And perhaps most dangerous of all, it means the international climate continues to deteriorate and become ever more paranoid - whether it is justified or not.

It offers a potentially alarming model for any future high-intensity confrontation with Russia, China or both, pointing to an era where ever more players embrace tearing up the rule book and risking - or at worst, even embracing – bloody mayhem.

Proxy wars

In Syria, Yemen, Ukraine, and to a lesser extent in Libya and beyond, these calculations and their resulting proxy wars have already killed hundreds of thousands.

Elsewhere, particularly in the Western world, the contests have been largely bloodless. Getting to the bottom of what is really going on, however, is more difficult. Indeed, many of those involved are clearly embracing and taking advantage of that dynamic and its resulting confusion.

Conspiracy theories

More broadly this alarming rise in Machiavellian ambiguity risks being a disaster for democracies. Without doubt, it feeds into just the kind of conspiracy theories the far right, Kremlin and other spoilers thrive on, and that the international level it dramatically raises the risks of miscalculation.

With their own more ruthless traditions, autocratic states like Russia, China and Iran, and their leaders in particular,&nbsp;are scarcely less paranoid. All three have made it clear to varying degrees they see the hand of the West in domestic dissent at home, and as discontent such as that in Hong Kong escalates, such worries may get worse.

Honest, open diplomatic channels - both between nuclear nations and domestic political factions - offer almost the only hope of keeping such strains under control.

Clearly, there is no shortage of forces that believe that kind of chaos serves their interests. In the short term, they may be right. In the longer run, however, they may find that they suffer the consequences just as harshly as the rest of us.

(With inputs from agencies)

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the United States will seek global rules on how to prevent misuse of artificial intelligence as he renewed warnings against Russia over hacking.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the United States will seek global rules on how to prevent misuse of artificial intelligence as he renewed warnings against Russia over hacking. His remarks come amid mounting concern about hacking for ransom, including an attack that shut down a major fuel pipeline in the United States. President Joe Biden said he warned his counterpart Vladimir Putin in a telephone call that the United States would take action, a message reiterated by Blinken. These increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks represent a new type of warfare aimed at disorganising and even destroying a nation's economy. This has been called 'hybrid warfare.' It's a mixture of conventional and unconventional methods used against a much stronger adversary that aims to achieve political objectives that would not be possible with traditional warfare. The problem is often identifying the culprits. In hybrid warfare the state responsible for the actions will often use non-state actors, which allows it to deny responsibility. But over the past two decades, many cyber-attacks targeting western state institutions and businesses have been far more sophisticated than a couple of tech-savvy individuals operating as 'lone wolves' and bear the hallmarks of actions taken with the support or approval of a hostile government. Without a doubt, several major nations, particularly Russia, but also China and Iran at the very least, have become adept at using leaks, rumour and political subterfuge to support their geopolitical ends. The problem, though, is that growing forces within Western countries have also embraced very much the same tactics. It makes getting to the bottom of what is really going on difficult, sometimes impossible. And perhaps most dangerous of all, it means the international climate continues to deteriorate and become ever more paranoid - whether it is justified or not. It offers a potentially alarming model for any future high-intensity confrontation with Russia, China or both, pointing to an era where ever more players embrace tearing up the rule book and risking - or at worst, even embracing – bloody mayhem. Proxy wars In Syria, Yemen, Ukraine, and to a lesser extent in Libya and beyond, these calculations and their resulting proxy wars have already killed hundreds of thousands. Elsewhere, particularly in the Western world, the contests have been largely bloodless. Getting to the bottom of what is really going on, however, is more difficult. Indeed, many of those involved are clearly embracing and taking advantage of that dynamic and its resulting confusion. Conspiracy theories More broadly this alarming rise in Machiavellian ambiguity risks being a disaster for democracies. Without doubt, it feeds into just the kind of conspiracy theories the far right, Kremlin and other spoilers thrive on, and that the international level it dramatically raises the risks of miscalculation. With their own more ruthless traditions, autocratic states like Russia, China and Iran, and their leaders in particular, are scarcely less paranoid. All three have made it clear to varying degrees they see the hand of the West in domestic dissent at home, and as discontent such as that in Hong Kong escalates, such worries may get worse. Honest, open diplomatic channels - both between nuclear nations and domestic political factions - offer almost the only hope of keeping such strains under control. Clearly, there is no shortage of forces that believe that kind of chaos serves their interests. In the short term, they may be right. In the longer run, however, they may find that they suffer the consequences just as harshly as the rest of us. (With inputs from agencies)

How have cyber attacks become strategy for hybrid warfare?

The United States Commerce Department on Sunday confirmed that it had been the victim of a data breach with links to Russia. 
 
Currently, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are investigating the breach, as reported by CNN.

The hack is serious enough to have led to a National Security Council meeting at the White House on Saturday.

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Reuters first reported the data breach, soon followed by The Washington Post which claimed that Russian government hackers targeted Commerce and Treasury departments, along with a few more government agencies.

National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot said that they "are taking all necessary steps to identify and remedy any possible issues related to this situation."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/russia-dismisses-hacking-allegations-as-russophobia-336674" hreflang="en">Russia dismisses hacking allegations as 'Russophobia'</a>

Additionally, the paper claimed that the same group hacked the elite cybersecurity firm FireEye, and that the FBI is now investigating the same. Last week, FireEye’s “Red Team” tools were compromised. 
 
According to a CNN report, Russian group APT29 was behind the FireEye data breach.

Russia’s aggressive cybersecurity campaign against the US has targeted both the public and private sectors.

Many claim that even though the Commerce and Treasury department have been identified so far, many more victims will prop up.

According to an advisory released by the National Security Agency last week, Russia’s state-backed stakeholders were attempting to access data on protected government systems and urged for networks to be patched.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/china-dismisses-accusations-of-hacking-attempt-on-us-vaccine-developer-moderna-317257" hreflang="en">China dismisses accusations of hacking attempt on US vaccine developer Moderna</a>

In a Facebook statement, Russian foreign ministry denied any such allegations, and claimed that this is another attempt by the US media to pin cyberattacks on Russia.

The hackers got access to data by tampering with updates provided by an IT company SolarWinds, which manages government data across the military, intelligence services, and the executive. 
 
According to Reuters, the breach was undertaken using a “supply chain attack”, whereby malicious code is embedded into a legitimate software made by third parties.

The United States Commerce Department on Sunday confirmed that it had been the victim of a data breach with links to Russia. Currently, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are investigating the breach, as reported by CNN.

The United States Commerce Department on Sunday confirmed that it had been the victim of a data breach with links to Russia. Currently, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are investigating the breach, as reported by CNN. The hack is serious enough to have led to a National Security Council meeting at the White House on Saturday. Reuters first reported the data breach, soon followed by The Washington Post which claimed that Russian government hackers targeted Commerce and Treasury departments, along with a few more government agencies. National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot said that they "are taking all necessary steps to identify and remedy any possible issues related to this situation." Also read: Russia dismisses hacking allegations as 'Russophobia' Additionally, the paper claimed that the same group hacked the elite cybersecurity firm FireEye, and that the FBI is now investigating the same. Last week, FireEye’s “Red Team” tools were compromised. According to a CNN report, Russian group APT29 was behind the FireEye data breach. Russia’s aggressive cybersecurity campaign against the US has targeted both the public and private sectors. Many claim that even though the Commerce and Treasury department have been identified so far, many more victims will prop up. According to an advisory released by the National Security Agency last week, Russia’s state-backed stakeholders were attempting to access data on protected government systems and urged for networks to be patched. Also read: China dismisses accusations of hacking attempt on US vaccine developer Moderna In a Facebook statement, Russian foreign ministry denied any such allegations, and claimed that this is another attempt by the US media to pin cyberattacks on Russia. The hackers got access to data by tampering with updates provided by an IT company SolarWinds, which manages government data across the military, intelligence services, and the executive. According to Reuters, the breach was undertaken using a “supply chain attack”, whereby malicious code is embedded into a legitimate software made by third parties.

Russia-affiliated hackers breach US Commerce, Treasury departments: Report

The same group also reportedly hacked US government agencies during the Obama administration.

Suspected Russian hackers spied on U.S. treasury & commerce dept

FireEye, one of the largest cybersecurity companies in the United States, said on Tuesday that it had been hacked, likely by a government, and that an arsenal of hacking tools used to test the defenses of its clients had been stolen.

The hack of FireEye, a company with an array of contacts across the national security space both in the United States and its allies, is among the most significant breaches in recent memory. The company's shares dropped 8 per cent&nbsp;in after-hours trading.

"A Red Team is a gathering of security experts approved and coordinated to emulate an expected enemy's assault or misuse capacities against an undertaking's security act," the <a href="https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2020/12/unauthorized-access-of-fireeye-red-team-tools.html">organisation</a>&nbsp;stated, adding that while the aggressors snatched apparatuses going from "basic contents" to "whole systems," a large number of the methods were at that point openly accessible.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-us-and-canada-accuse-russia-of-vaccine-research-hacking-314318">UK, US and Canada accuse Russia of vaccine research hacking</a>

The firm didn't state precisely when the assault occurred, and ceased from crediting the penetrate to a specific entertainer, anyway organization CEO Kevin Mandia noted in a different proclamation that it gave off an impression of being completed by "a country with top-level hostile abilities."&nbsp;

"Reliable with a country state digital secret activities exertion, the assailant basically looked for data identified with certain administration clients," Mandia said. "While the aggressor had the option to get to a portion of our inward frameworks, now in our examination, we have seen no proof that the assailant exfiltrated information from our essential frameworks that store client data."&nbsp;

The CEO additionally saw that, until now, there is no sign any of the taken apparatuses have been utilized in additional assaults.&nbsp;

Despite the fact that FireEye's top digital specialists offered no thought concerning who may be behind the information burglary, corporate news sources knew better, quickly pronouncing shadowy Russian specialists as the top suspects.

In a story on the penetrate, a Washington Post feature expressed: "Spies with Russia's unfamiliar insight administration accepted to have hacked a top American network protection firm." The source refers to anonymous "individuals acquainted with the issue," offering no detail past the statement itself.&nbsp;

The New York Times, then, declined to name any nation in its feature, just referencing Russia in a subheading, asserting the assault was "in all likelihood" completed by that country. Precisely how the paper arrived at that resolution was left implicit, notwithstanding, as its story makes a solitary notice of "proof" supporting Russian inclusion however never explains. The Times additionally noticed that the FBI has been made aware of the assault and "surrendered the case to its Russia trained professionals," yet left that guarantee totally unsourced.&nbsp;

Another report by Reuters avoided straightforwardly ascribing the hack and restricted conversation of Russian obligation to one passage, refering to an unknown previous Pentagon official who said that Moscow was "high on the early rundown of suspects."&nbsp;

The FireEye break is a long way from the first run through American news sources hurried head-first to announce, liberated from proof, Russian association in a prominent hack. In October, a notice from the FBI and various other government organizations about an "approaching digital wrongdoing danger" to US clinics incited a whirlwind of articles declaring Russia as the likely culprit, regardless of the offices saying nothing regarding the character of the future programmers.&nbsp;

Comparable charges have multiplied in the western press since the 2016 US official political decision, starting with the mission of Hillary Clinton, which initially asserted a Kremlin hacking activity to take the bombed Democratic applicant's messages. While the US insight network later reinforced that account, the FBI never grabbed hold of the workers being referred to, rather depending on data gave by the Democratic National Committee's own digital firm, CrowdStrike, whose president recognized in 2017 that "there's no proof that [the emails] were really exfiltrated" from the worker.

FireEye, one of the largest cybersecurity companies in the United States, said on Tuesday that it had been hacked, likely by a government, and that an arsenal of hacking tools used to test the defenses of its clients had been stolen.

FireEye, one of the largest cybersecurity companies in the United States, said on Tuesday that it had been hacked, likely by a government, and that an arsenal of hacking tools used to test the defenses of its clients had been stolen. The hack of FireEye, a company with an array of contacts across the national security space both in the United States and its allies, is among the most significant breaches in recent memory. The company's shares dropped 8 per cent in after-hours trading. "A Red Team is a gathering of security experts approved and coordinated to emulate an expected enemy's assault or misuse capacities against an undertaking's security act," the organisation stated, adding that while the aggressors snatched apparatuses going from "basic contents" to "whole systems," a large number of the methods were at that point openly accessible. Also read: UK, US and Canada accuse Russia of vaccine research hacking The firm didn't state precisely when the assault occurred, and ceased from crediting the penetrate to a specific entertainer, anyway organization CEO Kevin Mandia noted in a different proclamation that it gave off an impression of being completed by "a country with top-level hostile abilities." "Reliable with a country state digital secret activities exertion, the assailant basically looked for data identified with certain administration clients," Mandia said. "While the aggressor had the option to get to a portion of our inward frameworks, now in our examination, we have seen no proof that the assailant exfiltrated information from our essential frameworks that store client data." The CEO additionally saw that, until now, there is no sign any of the taken apparatuses have been utilized in additional assaults. Despite the fact that FireEye's top digital specialists offered no thought concerning who may be behind the information burglary, corporate news sources knew better, quickly pronouncing shadowy Russian specialists as the top suspects. In a story on the penetrate, a Washington Post feature expressed: "Spies with Russia's unfamiliar insight administration accepted to have hacked a top American network protection firm." The source refers to anonymous "individuals acquainted with the issue," offering no detail past the statement itself. The New York Times, then, declined to name any nation in its feature, just referencing Russia in a subheading, asserting the assault was "in all likelihood" completed by that country. Precisely how the paper arrived at that resolution was left implicit, notwithstanding, as its story makes a solitary notice of "proof" supporting Russian inclusion however never explains. The Times additionally noticed that the FBI has been made aware of the assault and "surrendered the case to its Russia trained professionals," yet left that guarantee totally unsourced. Another report by Reuters avoided straightforwardly ascribing the hack and restricted conversation of Russian obligation to one passage, refering to an unknown previous Pentagon official who said that Moscow was "high on the early rundown of suspects." The FireEye break is a long way from the first run through American news sources hurried head-first to announce, liberated from proof, Russian association in a prominent hack. In October, a notice from the FBI and various other government organizations about an "approaching digital wrongdoing danger" to US clinics incited a whirlwind of articles declaring Russia as the likely culprit, regardless of the offices saying nothing regarding the character of the future programmers. Comparable charges have multiplied in the western press since the 2016 US official political decision, starting with the mission of Hillary Clinton, which initially asserted a Kremlin hacking activity to take the bombed Democratic applicant's messages. While the US insight network later reinforced that account, the FBI never grabbed hold of the workers being referred to, rather depending on data gave by the Democratic National Committee's own digital firm, CrowdStrike, whose president recognized in 2017 that "there's no proof that [the emails] were really exfiltrated" from the worker.

US cybersecurity company FireEye discloses breach; media blames Russian hackers

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned of an impending wave of cyberattacks&nbsp;on&nbsp;hospitals&nbsp;and healthcare providers in the United States,&nbsp;urging them to increase their protection.

An advisory released by the FBI and two other government agencies said they had "credible information" that hackers were&nbsp;targeting the healthcare sector&nbsp;using malware, "often leading to ransomware attacks, data theft, and the disruption of healthcare services."

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The threat comes as US&nbsp;hospitals&nbsp;grapple with rising numbers of coronavirus cases, during a pandemic that has so far&nbsp;killed more than 226,000 people in the country.

Ransomware is a type of malicious software used by cybercriminals to encrypt users' files until a ransom is paid.

Healthcare institutions have been frequent victims of ransomware for several years in the US and globally.

Last month, a suspected ransomware attack disrupted patient care at a large chain of&nbsp;hospitals&nbsp;and clinics&nbsp;operating in the United States and Britain.

In 2017, the UK's national healthcare system was one of the victims of a wave of global ransomware attacks, prompting some of its&nbsp;hospitals&nbsp;to divert ambulances and scrap operations.

The federal agencies urged US healthcare providers to take "timely and reasonable precautions" to protect their networks.

They encouraged healthcare providers to patch their operating systems, software, and firmware as soon as possible, and to conduct antivirus and anti-malware scans regularly.

The agencies also recommended changing passwords regularly and using multi-factor authentication.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned of an impending wave of cyberattacks on hospitals and healthcare providers in the United States, urging them to increase their protection.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned of an impending wave of cyberattacks on hospitals and healthcare providers in the United States, urging them to increase their protection. An advisory released by the FBI and two other government agencies said they had "credible information" that hackers were targeting the healthcare sector using malware, "often leading to ransomware attacks, data theft, and the disruption of healthcare services." The threat comes as US hospitals grapple with rising numbers of coronavirus cases, during a pandemic that has so far killed more than 226,000 people in the country. Ransomware is a type of malicious software used by cybercriminals to encrypt users' files until a ransom is paid. Healthcare institutions have been frequent victims of ransomware for several years in the US and globally. Last month, a suspected ransomware attack disrupted patient care at a large chain of hospitals and clinics operating in the United States and Britain. In 2017, the UK's national healthcare system was one of the victims of a wave of global ransomware attacks, prompting some of its hospitals to divert ambulances and scrap operations. The federal agencies urged US healthcare providers to take "timely and reasonable precautions" to protect their networks. They encouraged healthcare providers to patch their operating systems, software, and firmware as soon as possible, and to conduct antivirus and anti-malware scans regularly. The agencies also recommended changing passwords regularly and using multi-factor authentication.

FBI warns of 'imminent' cyber crime threat to hospitals in US

Tokyo Olympics organisers said they were on constant alert for cyberattacks Tuesday but had yet to suffer "significant impact" after Britain accused Russia of targeting the Games.

Britain's foreign ministry said Russian spies attacked the 2020 Games' organisers, logistics services and sponsors before the event was postponed by one year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Tokyo 2020 officials said they had taken a range of countermeasures against digital attacks but did not disclose details, citing security concerns.

"While we have constantly monitored various types of cyberattack on the digital platforms owned by Tokyo 2020, no significant impact has been observed in our operations," an organising committee statement said.

Britain's allegations came as six Russian military intelligence officers were charged in the United States with carrying out cyberattacks on Ukraine's power grid, the 2017 French elections and the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games.

British daily The Guardian said alleged digital reconnaissance work on Tokyo 2020 had included spearphishing -- messages disguised to appear as if from a trusted friend or business connection, but which contain malware.

The planned attack also included setting up fake websites and researching individuals' account security, the newspaper said. 
Japan's Olympic Minister Seiko Hashimoto declined to directly address the report on Tuesday, but said that "since the London Games, cyberattacks have been increasing".

The US justice department said the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea were targeted after Russian athletes were banned from participating under their own flag because of government-sponsored doping efforts.

"Their cyber attack combined the emotional maturity of a petulant child with the resources of a nation state," he said, adding that they attempted to pin it on North Korea.

"During the opening ceremony, they launched the 'Olympic Destroyer' malware attack, which deleted data from thousands of computers supporting the Games, rendering them inoperable," he said.

Lee Hee-beom, former president and CEO of the Pyeongchang organising committee, said he was unaware who was responsible for the attack until now. 
"There was a hacking on the opening day but we could not not confirm its source," Lee told AFP.&nbsp;

"Internet connection was lost right after the ceremony from the hacking and we had to mobilise experts to restore it all night. Until now, I did not know who had done it."

Tokyo Olympics organisers said they were on constant alert for cyberattacks Tuesday but had yet to suffer "significant impact" after Britain accused Russia of targeting the Games.

Tokyo Olympics organisers said they were on constant alert for cyberattacks Tuesday but had yet to suffer "significant impact" after Britain accused Russia of targeting the Games. Britain's foreign ministry said Russian spies attacked the 2020 Games' organisers, logistics services and sponsors before the event was postponed by one year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Tokyo 2020 officials said they had taken a range of countermeasures against digital attacks but did not disclose details, citing security concerns. "While we have constantly monitored various types of cyberattack on the digital platforms owned by Tokyo 2020, no significant impact has been observed in our operations," an organising committee statement said. Britain's allegations came as six Russian military intelligence officers were charged in the United States with carrying out cyberattacks on Ukraine's power grid, the 2017 French elections and the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games. British daily The Guardian said alleged digital reconnaissance work on Tokyo 2020 had included spearphishing -- messages disguised to appear as if from a trusted friend or business connection, but which contain malware. The planned attack also included setting up fake websites and researching individuals' account security, the newspaper said. Japan's Olympic Minister Seiko Hashimoto declined to directly address the report on Tuesday, but said that "since the London Games, cyberattacks have been increasing". The US justice department said the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea were targeted after Russian athletes were banned from participating under their own flag because of government-sponsored doping efforts. "Their cyber attack combined the emotional maturity of a petulant child with the resources of a nation state," he said, adding that they attempted to pin it on North Korea. "During the opening ceremony, they launched the 'Olympic Destroyer' malware attack, which deleted data from thousands of computers supporting the Games, rendering them inoperable," he said. Lee Hee-beom, former president and CEO of the Pyeongchang organising committee, said he was unaware who was responsible for the attack until now. "There was a hacking on the opening day but we could not not confirm its source," Lee told AFP. "Internet connection was lost right after the ceremony from the hacking and we had to mobilise experts to restore it all night. Until now, I did not know who had done it."

Tokyo Olympics on alert for cyberattacks as alleged Russian plot revealed

Russian President&nbsp;Vladimir Putin on Friday called for agreement between his country and&nbsp;the United States to guarantee not to engage in cyber-meddling in each other's elections.

"(I propose)... exchanging guarantees of non-interference in each other's internal affairs, including electoral processes, including using information and communication technologies and high-tech methods," he said.

Putin statement comes&nbsp;ahead of the US&nbsp;presidential election on November&nbsp;3 when the relations between the two countries&nbsp;are at post-Cold War lows as the election looms.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/facebook-suspends-fake-russian-accounts-warns-of-us-election-hack-and-leak-threat-330151">Facebook suspends fake Russian accounts, warns of US election hack-and-leak threat</a>

US&nbsp;intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 US&nbsp;presidential election with the aim of tilting it in Donald Trump's favour, including by hacking into the campaign of his rival Hillary Clinton. Moscow denies that charge.

Trump is currently campaigning for re-election against Democrat Joe Biden.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-hackers-targeted-us-conservative-think-tanks-says-microsoft-160628">Russian hackers targeted US conservative think tanks, says Microsoft</a>

"One of the main strategic challenges of our time is the risk of a large-scale confrontation in the digital sphere," Putin said in the Kremlin statement.

"We would like to once again appeal to the United States with a proposal to approve a comprehensive program of practical measures to reset our relations in the use of information and communication technologies (ICT)."

He proposed the two countries reach an agreement to prevent major cyberspace incidents, something he compared to a 1972 US-Soviet treaty reached at the height of the Cold War to prevent incidents at sea and in the air from escalating.

He also called for the two countries to fully restore communication lines between their respective agencies to discuss key international information on security issues.

Russia has denied it is attempting to interfere in the 2020 US&nbsp;campaign, despite evidence to the contrary.

Microsoft said two weeks ago that hackers linked to Russia, China and Iran were trying to spy on people tied to both Trump and Biden. Russia and China dismissed the allegations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday called for agreement between his country and the United States to guarantee not to engage in cyber-meddling in each other's elections.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday called for agreement between his country and the United States to guarantee not to engage in cyber-meddling in each other's elections. "(I propose)... exchanging guarantees of non-interference in each other's internal affairs, including electoral processes, including using information and communication technologies and high-tech methods," he said. Putin statement comes ahead of the US presidential election on November 3 when the relations between the two countries are at post-Cold War lows as the election looms. Also read: Facebook suspends fake Russian accounts, warns of US election hack-and-leak threat US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 US presidential election with the aim of tilting it in Donald Trump's favour, including by hacking into the campaign of his rival Hillary Clinton. Moscow denies that charge. Trump is currently campaigning for re-election against Democrat Joe Biden. Also read: Russian hackers targeted US conservative think tanks, says Microsoft "One of the main strategic challenges of our time is the risk of a large-scale confrontation in the digital sphere," Putin said in the Kremlin statement. "We would like to once again appeal to the United States with a proposal to approve a comprehensive program of practical measures to reset our relations in the use of information and communication technologies (ICT)." He proposed the two countries reach an agreement to prevent major cyberspace incidents, something he compared to a 1972 US-Soviet treaty reached at the height of the Cold War to prevent incidents at sea and in the air from escalating. He also called for the two countries to fully restore communication lines between their respective agencies to discuss key international information on security issues. Russia has denied it is attempting to interfere in the 2020 US campaign, despite evidence to the contrary. Microsoft said two weeks ago that hackers linked to Russia, China and Iran were trying to spy on people tied to both Trump and Biden. Russia and China dismissed the allegations.

Putin calls for agreement with US not to meddle in each other's elections

A Russian influence operation posed as an independent news outlet to target left-wing voters in the United States and Britain, including by recruiting freelance journalists to write about domestic politics, Facebook said on Tuesday.

Facebook Inc&nbsp;said the operation, which partly focused on US&nbsp;politics and racial tensions in the run-up to the November&nbsp;3 presidential election, centred around a pseudo media organisation called Peace Data.

The website operated 13 Facebook accounts and two pages, which were set up in May and suspended on Monday for using fake identities and other forms of "coordinated inauthentic behaviour," the company said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-reportedly-raised-300-million-in-august-highest-ever-for-a-us-presidential-candidate-324595" hreflang="en">Joe Biden reportedly raised $300 million in August, highest ever for a US presidential candidate</a>

Facebook said its investigation "found links to individuals associated with past activity by the Russian Internet Research Agency", a St Petersburg-based company which US&nbsp;intelligence officials say was central to Russian efforts to sway the 2016 presidential election.

Twitter said it had also suspended five accounts as part of the operation which it could "reliably attribute to Russian state actors."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zuckerberg-says-facebooks-failure-to-remove-militia-page-an-operational-mistake-323884" hreflang="en">Zuckerberg says Facebook's failure to remove militia page an 'operational mistake'</a>

Peace Data did not respond to an emailed request for comment and Russian officials were not immediately available after normal working hours in Moscow. Russia has previously denied US&nbsp;allegations of trying to sway elections and says it does not interfere in the domestic politics of other countries.

Investigators at social media analytics firm Graphika studied the operation and said Peace Data predominately targeted progressive and left-wing groups in the United States and Britain, but also posted about events in other countries including Algeria and Egypt.

It said in a report that the website pushed messages critical of right-wing voices and the centre left, and in the United States "paid particular attention to racial and political tensions", including civil rights protests and criticism of President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival, Joe Biden.

Graphika said only around 5 per cent&nbsp;of Peace Data's English-language articles directly concerned the US&nbsp;election, but that "this facet of the operation suggests an attempt to build a left-wing audience and steer it away from Biden's campaign."

The findings support an assessment by the United States' top counterintelligence official last month, who said Moscow was using online disinformation to try to undercut the Biden campaign, and could stoke fears about further Russian efforts to interfere in the November vote.

A spokesman for the Trump campaign said the president would win re-election "fair and square and we don’t need or want any foreign interference." The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The US&nbsp;Office of the Director of National Intelligence referred questions to the FBI. In a statement, the FBI said it had flagged the activity to Facebook.

"The FBI provided information in this matter to better protect against threats to the nation's security and our democratic processes," the statement said.

Information provided by FBI

Facebook's head of cybersecurity policy, Nathaniel Gleicher, said his team acted on the FBI's tip and suspended the accounts before they gathered a large online following. Only 14,000 people followed one or more of the suspended accounts, he said.

"I think it's very important that we know about this," Gleicher said. "I want people to know that Russian actors are still trying and their tactics are evolving, but I wouldn't want people to think that this was a large, successful campaign."

Peace Data publishes in English and Arabic and says on its website it is a non-profit news organisation seeking "the truth about key world events".

But the three permanent staff listed online are not real, according to the Graphika analysis, which found the profiles used computer-generated photographs of non-existent people and were linked to fake accounts on Facebook, Twitter and business-networking site LinkedIn.

The fake personas advertised for writers on freelance journalism websites and Twitter, offering up to $75 for an article, screenshots of the adverts seen by Reuters showed.

Peace Data's website lists 22 "contributors", mostly freelance journalists in the United States and Britain. Facebook and Graphika said there was no indication the writers knew who was behind the website.

Peace Data "staff" then shared the articles, covering a wide range of political issues, in left-wing social media groups, Graphika said. The website published over 700 articles in English and Arabic between February and August this year.

Ben Nimmo, head of investigations at Graphika, said co-opting real people made it easier for political influence operations to remain undetected.

"What we've seen recently has been much smaller and much lower profile," he said. "It looks like they're trying harder and harder to hide."

A Russian influence operation posed as an independent news outlet to target left-wing voters in the United States and Britain, including by recruiting freelance journalists to write about domestic politics, Facebook said on Tuesday.

A Russian influence operation posed as an independent news outlet to target left-wing voters in the United States and Britain, including by recruiting freelance journalists to write about domestic politics, Facebook said on Tuesday. Facebook Inc said the operation, which partly focused on US politics and racial tensions in the run-up to the November 3 presidential election, centred around a pseudo media organisation called Peace Data. The website operated 13 Facebook accounts and two pages, which were set up in May and suspended on Monday for using fake identities and other forms of "coordinated inauthentic behaviour," the company said. Also read: Joe Biden reportedly raised $300 million in August, highest ever for a US presidential candidate Facebook said its investigation "found links to individuals associated with past activity by the Russian Internet Research Agency", a St Petersburg-based company which US intelligence officials say was central to Russian efforts to sway the 2016 presidential election. Twitter said it had also suspended five accounts as part of the operation which it could "reliably attribute to Russian state actors." Also read: Zuckerberg says Facebook's failure to remove militia page an 'operational mistake' Peace Data did not respond to an emailed request for comment and Russian officials were not immediately available after normal working hours in Moscow. Russia has previously denied US allegations of trying to sway elections and says it does not interfere in the domestic politics of other countries. Investigators at social media analytics firm Graphika studied the operation and said Peace Data predominately targeted progressive and left-wing groups in the United States and Britain, but also posted about events in other countries including Algeria and Egypt. It said in a report that the website pushed messages critical of right-wing voices and the centre left, and in the United States "paid particular attention to racial and political tensions", including civil rights protests and criticism of President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival, Joe Biden. Graphika said only around 5 per cent of Peace Data's English-language articles directly concerned the US election, but that "this facet of the operation suggests an attempt to build a left-wing audience and steer it away from Biden's campaign." The findings support an assessment by the United States' top counterintelligence official last month, who said Moscow was using online disinformation to try to undercut the Biden campaign, and could stoke fears about further Russian efforts to interfere in the November vote. A spokesman for the Trump campaign said the president would win re-election "fair and square and we don’t need or want any foreign interference." The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The US Office of the Director of National Intelligence referred questions to the FBI. In a statement, the FBI said it had flagged the activity to Facebook. "The FBI provided information in this matter to better protect against threats to the nation's security and our democratic processes," the statement said. Information provided by FBI Facebook's head of cybersecurity policy, Nathaniel Gleicher, said his team acted on the FBI's tip and suspended the accounts before they gathered a large online following. Only 14,000 people followed one or more of the suspended accounts, he said. "I think it's very important that we know about this," Gleicher said. "I want people to know that Russian actors are still trying and their tactics are evolving, but I wouldn't want people to think that this was a large, successful campaign." Peace Data publishes in English and Arabic and says on its website it is a non-profit news organisation seeking "the truth about key world events". But the three permanent staff listed online are not real, according to the Graphika analysis, which found the profiles used computer-generated photographs of non-existent people and were linked to fake accounts on Facebook, Twitter and business-networking site LinkedIn. The fake personas advertised for writers on freelance journalism websites and Twitter, offering up to $75 for an article, screenshots of the adverts seen by Reuters showed. Peace Data's website lists 22 "contributors", mostly freelance journalists in the United States and Britain. Facebook and Graphika said there was no indication the writers knew who was behind the website. Peace Data "staff" then shared the articles, covering a wide range of political issues, in left-wing social media groups, Graphika said. The website published over 700 articles in English and Arabic between February and August this year. Ben Nimmo, head of investigations at Graphika, said co-opting real people made it easier for political influence operations to remain undetected. "What we've seen recently has been much smaller and much lower profile," he said. "It looks like they're trying harder and harder to hide."

Russian influence campaign targeted left-wing voters in US and UK, says Facebook

Russia-backed hackers have been&nbsp;engaged in a sustained campaign to compromise news websites to plant false stories aimed at discrediting Nato, according to a latest report.

The campaign is divided into several segments and a particular called ''Ghostwriter'' have was responsible for hacking news portals, gaining access for publishing and&nbsp;deleting stories. Hackers replaced&nbsp;the deleted stories&nbsp;with false news that sought to delegitimise the transatlantic alliance.

In September last year, a news site was compromised&nbsp;and a few false articles was inserted into its archive. Included one wrongly claiming that German soldiers serving with Nato had desecrated a Jewish cemetery.

Similarly in Poland, in May,&nbsp;a series of Polish sites were targeted and fake stories and quotes were published. They claimed the commander of the US army in Europe&nbsp;he&nbsp;ridiculed the capability of the Polish military.

According to&nbsp;research put together by an organisation called&nbsp;Mandiant, a specialist cybersecurity firm,&nbsp;14 isolated incidents of similar kind were reported. They have argued that they are part of a broader anti-Nato campaign that has been since running since at least March 2017.

“The method of hacking media sites to push fabricated narratives is a powerful one,” said&nbsp;John Hultquist, senior director of intelligence analysis at Mandiant.

It is being used&nbsp;“as a means to alter perception there” he added.

NATO has previously accused Russia Today and Sputnik of a&nbsp;“a number of specific disinformation attacks”.

The European Union on Thursday imposed travel and financial sanctions on a department of&nbsp;Russia's military intelligence service.&nbsp;In its first ever sanctions related to cybercrime, the EU targeted the department for special technologies of the&nbsp;Russian military intelligence service, known as Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the&nbsp;Russian Federation, it said in a statement.

Russia

Russia-backed hackers have been engaged in a sustained campaign to compromise news websites to plant false stories aimed at discrediting Nato, according to a latest report.

Russia-backed hackers have been engaged in a sustained campaign to compromise news websites to plant false stories aimed at discrediting Nato, according to a latest report. The campaign is divided into several segments and a particular called ''Ghostwriter'' have was responsible for hacking news portals, gaining access for publishing and deleting stories. Hackers replaced the deleted stories with false news that sought to delegitimise the transatlantic alliance. In September last year, a news site was compromised and a few false articles was inserted into its archive. Included one wrongly claiming that German soldiers serving with Nato had desecrated a Jewish cemetery. Similarly in Poland, in May, a series of Polish sites were targeted and fake stories and quotes were published. They claimed the commander of the US army in Europe he ridiculed the capability of the Polish military. According to research put together by an organisation called Mandiant, a specialist cybersecurity firm, 14 isolated incidents of similar kind were reported. They have argued that they are part of a broader anti-Nato campaign that has been since running since at least March 2017. “The method of hacking media sites to push fabricated narratives is a powerful one,” said John Hultquist, senior director of intelligence analysis at Mandiant. It is being used “as a means to alter perception there” he added. NATO has previously accused Russia Today and Sputnik of a “a number of specific disinformation attacks”. The European Union on Thursday imposed travel and financial sanctions on a department of Russia's military intelligence service. In its first ever sanctions related to cybercrime, the EU targeted the department for special technologies of the Russian military intelligence service, known as Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, it said in a statement. Russia

Russia-backed hackers running anti-NATO fake news campaign: Report

The European Union imposed its first ever sanctions against alleged cyber attackers on Thursday, targeting Russian and Chinese individuals and a specialist unit of Moscow's GRU military intelligence agency.

The member states said measures would be taken against six individuals and three entities involved in various actions, including the attempt to hack into the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Thousands of Russian and Chinese-linked social media accounts have launched a coordinated effort to spread alarm about the new coronavirus, disrupting global efforts to fight the epidemic according to&nbsp;Fernando Arias,&nbsp;the head of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

The accounts, run by humans, not bots, post at similar times in English, Spanish, Italian, German and French and can be linked back to Russian proxies, or carry similar messages to Chinese-backed outlets like Xinhua and&nbsp;Russian-backed outlets such as RT and Sputnik, he added.

The disinformation campaign was identified by US monitors in mid-January after Chinese officials announced a third death from the new coronavirus in Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak.

The European Union imposed its first ever sanctions against alleged cyber attackers on Thursday, targeting Russian and Chinese individuals and a specialist unit of Moscow's GRU military intelligence agency.

The European Union imposed its first ever sanctions against alleged cyber attackers on Thursday, targeting Russian and Chinese individuals and a specialist unit of Moscow's GRU military intelligence agency. The member states said measures would be taken against six individuals and three entities involved in various actions, including the attempt to hack into the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Thousands of Russian and Chinese-linked social media accounts have launched a coordinated effort to spread alarm about the new coronavirus, disrupting global efforts to fight the epidemic according to Fernando Arias, the head of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The accounts, run by humans, not bots, post at similar times in English, Spanish, Italian, German and French and can be linked back to Russian proxies, or carry similar messages to Chinese-backed outlets like Xinhua and Russian-backed outlets such as RT and Sputnik, he added. The disinformation campaign was identified by US monitors in mid-January after Chinese officials announced a third death from the new coronavirus in Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak.

EU slaps sanctions on Russian and Chinese 'cyber attackers'

Russian hackers targeted 21 US states&#39; election systems in last year&#39;s presidential race, a Department of Homeland Security official told Congress on Wednesday.

Jeanette Manfra, the department&#39;s acting deputy undersecretary of cyber security, would not identify which states had been targeted, citing confidentiality agreements. She reiterated that there was no evidence that any actual votes were manipulated.

&quot;As of right now, we have evidence that election-related systems in 21 states were targeted,&quot; Manfra told the Senate Intelligence Committee, which investigating Russia&#39;s meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Systems were breached in a smaller number of states, she said, but did not give a specific figure.

Department officials had said about 20 states had been probed by hackers working on behalf of the Russian government, but recent news media reports had suggested the number could have been far higher.

Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate panel, expressed frustration at Manfra&#39;s refusal to identify which states had been targeted.

&quot;I just fundamentally disagree,&quot; he said.

Warner on Tuesday sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly asking the agency to disclose more information about hacking attempts on state and local election systems.

Arizona and Illinois last year confirmed that hackers had targeted their voter registration systems.

US&nbsp;intelligence agencies concluded that the Kremlin orchestrated a wide-ranging influence operation that included email hacking and online propaganda in order to discredit Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and help Donald Trump, a Republican, win the White House.

Manfra and other officials testifying on Wednesday reiterated that US&nbsp;elections are resilient to hacking in part because they are decentralized and largely operated on the state and local level. 
Senator Angus King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with the Democrats, expressed skepticism at that assertion, saying only a small amount of votes in key battleground states would need to be altered to tip the scales of an election.

&quot;A sophisticated actor could hack an election simply by focusing on certain counties,&quot; King said. &quot;I don&#39;t think it works just to say it&rsquo;s a big system and diversity will protect us.&quot;

Russia has repeatedly denied responsibility for any cyber attacks during the US presidential election. Trump has inconsistently said Russia may or may not have been responsible for the hacking but has dismissed allegations that his associates colluded with Moscow as &quot;fake news.&quot; 
&nbsp;

The official did not identify the states but said there was no evidence that any actual votes were manipulated

Russian hackers targeted 21 US states' election systems in last year's presidential race, a Department of Homeland Security official told Congress on Wednesday. Jeanette Manfra, the department's acting deputy undersecretary of cyber security, would not identify which states had been targeted, citing confidentiality agreements. She reiterated that there was no evidence that any actual votes were manipulated. "As of right now, we have evidence that election-related systems in 21 states were targeted," Manfra told the Senate Intelligence Committee, which investigating Russia's meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Systems were breached in a smaller number of states, she said, but did not give a specific figure. Department officials had said about 20 states had been probed by hackers working on behalf of the Russian government, but recent news media reports had suggested the number could have been far higher. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate panel, expressed frustration at Manfra's refusal to identify which states had been targeted. "I just fundamentally disagree," he said. Warner on Tuesday sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly asking the agency to disclose more information about hacking attempts on state and local election systems. Arizona and Illinois last year confirmed that hackers had targeted their voter registration systems. US intelligence agencies concluded that the Kremlin orchestrated a wide-ranging influence operation that included email hacking and online propaganda in order to discredit Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and help Donald Trump, a Republican, win the White House. Manfra and other officials testifying on Wednesday reiterated that US elections are resilient to hacking in part because they are decentralized and largely operated on the state and local level. Senator Angus King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with the Democrats, expressed skepticism at that assertion, saying only a small amount of votes in key battleground states would need to be altered to tip the scales of an election. "A sophisticated actor could hack an election simply by focusing on certain counties," King said. "I don't think it works just to say it’s a big system and diversity will protect us." Russia has repeatedly denied responsibility for any cyber attacks during the US presidential election. Trump has inconsistently said Russia may or may not have been responsible for the hacking but has dismissed allegations that his associates colluded with Moscow as "fake news."

Russian hackers targeted 21 US states during election: US official

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