US Cybersecurity Agencies Issue Warning Against Russian Cyber Threats

The FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Security Agency have warned organizations about Russian cyber threats amid the ongoing tension at the Russia-Ukraine border.

According to a joint advisory released on Tuesday, Russian state-sponsored advanced persistent threat actors use common attacks like spearphishing and vulnerabilities exploitation to gain initial access to target networks and business systems. The agencies noted that APT actors will guess passwords, deploy malware and use stolen credentials to hack systems. Organizations are encouraged to improve cybersecurity awareness, conduct productive threat hunting and implement mitigation solutions, Nextgov reported Tuesday.

The advisory comes ahead of a diplomatic meeting between the U.S. and Russia as Moscow heightens its military presence along the Ukrainian border. U.S. Deputy State Secretary Wendy Sherman is in Europe to work with leaders from allied nations to coordinate deescalation dialogues. State Secretary Antony Blinken is also meeting with foreign dignitaries to continue diplomatic efforts related to the dispute.

The conflict between Moscow and Kiev erupted in 2014 when Russian troops took control of the Crimean region in Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin claimed that Russia needs to protect Russian speakers and citizens in Crimea and southeast Ukraine, and pro-Russian separatists in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine called for independence from Kiev. Since 2014, over 10,300 people are estimated to have been killed in the conflict, and nearly 24,000 have been injured. The Kremlin denied military involvement, but Ukraine and NATO reported the buildup of Russian troops and equipment in the border region.