Russian hackers targeted Kansas nuclear plant: US Department of Justice

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."

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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.

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The agency informed that in August 2021 indictmentsinvolved "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".

Gladkikhas been charged with conspiracy to damage an energy facility which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

(With inputs from Agencies)