8-12-2023 (LONDON) The governments of the United Kingdom and the United States have accused Russian security services of carrying out a sustained cyber-espionage campaign targeting top politicians, journalists, and NGOs. While Russia has previously been suspected of interfering in UK politics, including the Brexit referendum in 2016, the Conservative government has faced criticism for its failure to investigate these allegations.
The UK Foreign Ministry recently claimed that Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) was responsible for “unsuccessful attempts to interfere in UK political processes.” In response to the issue, the Russian ambassador to London was summoned for discussions. In parallel, US prosecutors unsealed charges against two Russian nationals involved in hacking computer networks in the UK, the US, and other NATO countries. Both individuals now face sanctions in both the UK and the US.
UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron condemned Russia’s attempts to interfere in UK politics as “completely unacceptable” and a threat to democratic processes. The UK government identified Centre 18, a unit within the FSB, as being responsible for various cyber-espionage operations targeting the UK.
According to UK authorities, the FSB targeted parliamentarians from different political parties, with some attacks resulting in leaked documents. The operation spanned from at least 2015 to 2023. Additionally, the FSB hacked and leaked UK-US trade documents before the December 2019 general election.
The two Russian individuals indicted in the US are Ruslan Aleksandrovich Peretyatko and Andrei Stanislavovich Korinets. They have not been apprehended and are believed to be in Russia. The charges against them relate to “spear-phishing campaigns” and activities aimed at undermining the UK. Spear-phishing involves sending malicious links to specific targets to obtain sensitive information.
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre highlighted the reconnaissance activity conducted by attackers to make spear-phishing attempts more effective. Peretyatko and Korinets are also accused of targeting current and former US officials in various government departments and intelligence agencies from 2016 to 2022. The FBI is currently seeking their arrest and location, offering a reward of up to US$10 million for information leading to their capture.
In January, UK cyber-security chiefs warned about increasing spear-phishing attacks by Russia and Iran, targeting government officials, journalists, and NGOs to compromise sensitive systems. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre urged heightened vigilance and provided mitigation advice to counter these threats. Last year, it was reported that suspected Kremlin agents hacked the cellphone of former Prime Minister Liz Truss when she was the foreign minister. The hacking incident, which compromised up to a year’s worth of messages, occurred during Truss’s campaign for conservative party leadership.
Foreign Office Minister Leo Docherty emphasized the “real and serious” cyber threat posed by Russia, highlighting their use of false accounts, impersonation of contacts, and delivery of malicious links disguised as legitimate documents or websites.
