Russian hackers target Western firms shipping aid to Ukraine, US intelligence says

WASHINGTON – Hackers moving for Russian subject quality targeted Western exertion and logistics companies progressive successful shipping assistance to Ukraine, the U.S. National Security Agency said.

The hackers were trying to get details astir the benignant of assistance entering Ukraine and, arsenic portion of the effort, sought entree to the feeds of internet-connected cameras adjacent Ukrainian borderline crossings, according to the NSA's report connected the cyberattack, which was issued precocious Wednesday.

The cyber run sought to penetrate defense, proscription and logistics companies successful respective Western countries, including the U.S., arsenic good arsenic ports, airports and obstruction systems. The study didn’t specify which types of assistance Russia was surveilling, but Ukraine’s allies person contributed important amounts of military and humanitarian assistance since the warfare began.

More than 10,000 internet-connected cameras were targeted, including backstage devices and nationalist postulation cameras adjacent captious proscription points, specified arsenic ports, obstruction hubs oregon borderline crossings. Most were successful Ukraine, though immoderate were successful Romania, Poland and different eastbound oregon cardinal European countries.

Officials did not disclose details astir the hackers' occurrence oregon however agelong they remained unnoticed. The enactment elaborate successful the study began successful 2022, the aforesaid twelvemonth that Russia invaded Ukraine.

Russia is expected to proceed its efforts to spy connected assistance shipments, and companies progressive successful assistance logistics oregon shipments should beryllium connected guard, according to the report, which was issued jointly by the NSA, the FBI and information agencies successful respective allied nations.

“To support against and mitigate these threats, at-risk entities should expect targeting,” the NSA said.

Authorities linked the enactment to a Russian subject quality portion dubbed “Fancy Bear” that is well known for its past campaigns targeting the U.S. and its allies.

The hackers utilized a assortment of tactics to summation access, including spearphishing, which involves sending authentic-looking messages to a imaginable unfortunate that incorporate links to harmful bundle oregon requests for delicate information.

The Russian squad besides exploited information vulnerabilities successful machine devices utilized astatine tiny and in-home offices, networks that often deficiency the information measures recovered successful larger systems.

The hackers didn't usage peculiarly innovative techniques, according to Grant Geyer, main strategy serviceman astatine the cybersecurity institution Claroty. Nevertheless, the sprawling yet cautiously orchestrated effort gives the Russians a “granular understanding” of the assistance sent to Ukraine, helium said.

“They person done elaborate targeting crossed the full proviso concatenation to recognize what instrumentality is moving, erstwhile and however — whether it’s by aircraft, vessel oregon rail,” Geyer said.

Russia could usage the accusation it obtained to hone its warfare planning, Geyer said, oregon to crippled further cyber oregon carnal attacks connected the proviso concatenation to Ukraine.

Last fall, U.S. quality officials issued a nationalist bulletin directing American defence companies and suppliers to summation information precautions pursuing respective acts of sabotage successful Europe that officials person blamed connected Russia.

The Russian Embassy successful Washington didn't instantly respond to messages seeking comment.

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