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FBI Warns: Russian Spies Exploit Messaging Apps
21 Mar
Summary
- Russian intelligence hackers are targeting messaging app users.
- Thousands of accounts were successfully compromised by hackers.
- Targets include government officials, military, and journalists.
In an advisory issued on Friday, the FBI and U.S. cyber defense agency CISA revealed that hackers affiliated with Russian intelligence services have been targeting users of consumer messaging applications, including Signal. These malicious actors have successfully infiltrated thousands of accounts, though specific details of the breaches were not disclosed.
The campaign specifically targets individuals deemed to possess high intelligence value. This includes current and former U.S. government officials, military personnel, political figures, and journalists. The hackers bypassed the applications' security measures by employing sophisticated methods, such as impersonating security entities and deceiving users into divulging their security codes.
This alert from U.S. agencies corroborates a warning issued earlier this month by Dutch intelligence officials. They reported a global cyber campaign, backed by Russian hackers, aimed at gaining access to Signal and WhatsApp accounts used by intelligence targets. Signal has previously stated that such hacks are executed via phishing campaigns and do not compromise its encryption or infrastructure.
