A group of Russian hackers targeted computer systems associated with the Ukrainian government and 26 of its NATO allies, including the U.S., in an effort to support Russia’s invasion of the war-torn country, as announced by federal prosecutors on Thursday.
The Department of Justice unveiled a superseding indictment charging five Russian military intelligence service (GRU) officers and one civilian with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and wire-fraud conspiracy. The U.S. is now offering $10 million for information on their whereabouts or cyber campaign.
The indictment alleges that the hackers employed malware called “WhisperGate” to destroy and leak data, including patient health records, from Ukrainian computer systems unrelated to military or defense. This action was intended to create fear among Ukrainian citizens about the safety of their government systems and personal information. The defendants later targeted computer systems in the United States and 25 other NATO countries that provide assistance to Ukraine.
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Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the National Security Division stated, “The GRU’s WhisperGate campaign, including targeting Ukrainian critical infrastructure and non-military government systems, highlights Russia’s complete disregard for innocent civilians during its unjust invasion.”
According to court documents, on January 13, 2022, the hackers used a U.S.-based company’s services to distribute WhisperGate on various Ukrainian government networks, such as the Ministry of Internal Affairs, State Treasury, Judiciary Administration, and several others. Subsequently, the hackers defaced the websites of compromised systems with intimidating messages and put stolen data up for sale online.
The hackers also searched for vulnerabilities in protected computer systems of 26 NATO countries and probed federal government systems in Maryland multiple times. Additionally, they allegedly hacked the transportation infrastructure of a central European country supporting Ukraine in the conflict.
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Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office emphasized the collective effort among law enforcement agencies to defend against Russia’s aggressive actions and prosecute cyber criminals.
Olsen, in a press conference, affirmed the DOJ’s commitment to holding the hackers accountable and preventing others from taking their place in similar cyber activities. He warned the GRU and Russian entities of relentless pursuit and exposure of their activities.
The individuals charged in the superseding indictment are Russian GRU members Yuriy Denisov, Vladislav Borovkov, Denis Denisenko, Dmitriy Goloshubov, and Nikolay Korchagin, along with civilian Amin Sitgal.
