US charges 6 Russians with cyberattack on Ukraine and NATO before 2022 full-scale invasion

The United States has announced charges against six Russian citizens who were involved in large-scale cyberattacks against Ukraine and NATO states on the eve of the Russian full-scale invasion of 2022.

Source: US Department of Justice, as reported by European Pravda 

Details: Yuri Denisov, Vladislav Borovkov, Denis Denisenko, Dmitry Goloshubov, and Nikolai Korchagin are five defendants from unit 29155 of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), which is the military intelligence of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

Amin Sitgal is the sixth individual involved, having previously been charged with conspiracy to commit computer hacking and now with conspiracy to commit electronic fraud.

On 13 January 2022, the defendants launched a large-scale cyberattack against the computer systems of dozens of Ukrainian public agencies. The cyberattack specifically targeted the Ministries of Internal Affairs and Foreign Affairs, Finance, Education and Science, and Energy, as well as the electronic court system, the state portal of electronic services, Ukraine's Accounts Chamber, the State Emergency Service, and other entities.

According to the indictment, WhisperGate malware was installed on Ukrainian computer networks under the premise of ransomware. In actuality, WhisperGate was a cyber weapon meant to fully destroy the target machine and its associated data.

The attackers stole personal information, including medical records, and sold it online. A message with the following information was posted on compromised websites: "Ukrainians! All information about you has become public, be afraid and expect the worst. This is for your past, present and future." 

In August 2022, the defendants also broke into the transport infrastructure of an unspecified "Central European country" that backed Ukraine. Furthermore, since at least August 2021, they have attempted to enter the secure computer networks of 26 NATO member countries, including a federal government entity in the US state of Maryland.

The Justice Department stated that the FBI is examining the case.

After the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, cyber attacks on the EU and NATO states that actively support Kyiv were repeatedly reported. Only during this year was it revealed that cyber attacks were carried out against Germany and Czechia.

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