One of the top cyber-espionage units in the Russian government has been accused by Microsoft of using local internet service providers to spread malware to Russian embassies and diplomatic organizations.
The FSB, or Federal Security Service, has been conducting its activities since at least 2024, according to Microsoft Threat Intelligence in a blog post on Thursday.
The initiative “poses a high risk to foreign embassies, diplomatic organizations, and other sensitive organizations operating in Moscow, particularly those that rely on local internet providers,” according to Microsoft.
According to Microsoft’s findings, the analysis establishes for the first time that the FSB is engaging in cyber-espionage at the ISP level.
The blog post states that “diplomatic personnel using local ISP or telecommunications services in Russia are highly likely targets of the campaign] within those services.”
An alleged FSB cyber-espionage operation that targeted unnamed foreign embassies in Moscow was tracked by Microsoft.
According to Microsoft, the FSB activity makes it easier to install custom backdoors on targeted computers, which can be used to install additional malware and steal data.
The findings come as Washington is increasingly compelled to support a ceasefire in its conflict with Ukraine, and NATO allies have pledged to raise defense spending in response to their own concerns about Russia.
Which embassies were the targets of the FSB campaign, according to Microsoft?
Russian diplomats and the US Department of State did not respond to Reuters news agency’s requests for comment.
Russia has disputed that it engages in cyber-espionage. Moscow’s response to Microsoft’s report on Thursday was unaffected by its delay.
Source: Aljazeera
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