FSB cyber spy operations against foreign embassies. Microsoft warning and premiere in analysis
Illustrative photo – hacker in front of a laptop. Krakow, Poland, August 17, 2021. Source: Jakub Purzycki / Nurphoto / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia
One of the main cyber spy units of the Russian government implements malware against Moscow's embassies and diplomatic organizations, using local internet service providers, Microsoft said on Thursday.
The analysis confirms for the first time that Russia's Federal Security (FSB) service performs cyber spy operations at the level of Internet service providers, according to Microsoft Threat Intelligence findings.
“Microsoft is now sure that this activity takes place inside the borders of Russia,” said the director of the Microsoft department for the threat strategy, Sherrod Degrippo, for Reuters.
Microsoft conclusions come against the background of increasing pressure from Washington to convince Moscow to put an end to the Ukraine war, as well as the commitments made by NATO countries to increase the defense sector, also in the context of Russia's concerns.
The analysis follows a Cyber spy campaign of the FSB that targeted in February foreign embassies in Moscow – the names of the respective diplomatic missions has not been revealed.
The FSB activity facilitates the installation of clandestine access portions on the targeted computers, which can be used to install additional malware, as well as to steal data.
Reuters could not determine which embassies were targeted. The US State Department did not respond to the request to comment on the subject.
Neither Russian diplomats responded to the comment request. Moscow constantly denies that it would carry out cyber spy operations.
The hacking unit associated with this activity, which Microsoft follows as a “Secret Blizzard”, and others classifies as “the tower”, targeted governments, journalists and other people for almost 20 years, the US government said in May 2023, after FBI disturbed one of its long -term operations.
