U.S. and Germany Warn of Cyber Attacks by Russian Military Intelligence - 1

Image by Viri Gutiérrez on Lummi

U.S. and Germany Warn of Cyber Attacks by Russian Military Intelligence

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in the United States along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Security Agency (NSA), Germany’s Intelligence Agency, and other international partners shared an advisory warning about Unit 29155 a threat group belonging to Russian military intelligence (GRU).

According to Reuters , German authorities claimed that this group performed attacks against NATO and multiple countries in the European Union. Berlin has been accusing Russia of multiple attacks on local organizations and businesses—in IT, logistics, aerospace, and defense sectors—for months.

U.S. authorities explained that Unit 29155 has also been responsible for deploying malware WhisperGate against Ukrainian organizations in January 2022.

“These cyber actors are responsible for computer network operations against global targets for the purposes of espionage, sabotage, and reputational harm since at least 2020,” states the document recently shared by CISA.

The agency also acknowledges the independence of this group, as the GRU also has other malicious organizations like Unit 74455 and Unit 26165.

CISA shared a few recommendations to businesses and organizations to mitigate attacks like fixing every known vulnerability and constantly running system updates, segmenting networks, and enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) “for all externally facing account services, especially for webmail, virtual private networks (VPNs), and accounts that access critical systems.”

Through a press release , the Office of Public Affairs of the U.S. The Department of Justice also revealed last Thursday that six computer hackers—five of them officers in Unit 29155—have been charged with conspiracy and fraud allegations. The U.S. government is currently offering $10 million for information on the defendants’ activities or locations.

A few weeks ago, the U.S. also banned software company Kaspersky for its ties to the Kremlin. Just a couple of days ago, a few o utages of popular platforms like Telegram , WhatsApp, Skype, Discord, and YouTube were reported in Russia and experts have suggested that the Russian government might have been involved in cyberattacks as part of censorship strategies and control of online communications.

Report Reveals Surge In Cyberattacks Targeting Young Gamers - 2

Image from Rawpixel

Report Reveals Surge In Cyberattacks Targeting Young Gamers

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

Kaspersky experts have released a new report detailing the increasing risks that young gamers face online. The report, based on data from Kaspersky Security Network (KSN), reveals a significant increase in attacks targeting children’s popular games, with cybercriminals using increasingly sophisticated tactics to deceive their victims.

According to the report, Kaspersky security solutions detected more than 6.6 million attempted attacks targeting young gamers from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024. The most popular games exploited by cybercriminals included Minecraft, Roblox, and Among Us.

The report also found that the number of targeted users surged by 30 percent in the first half of 2024 compared to the second half of 2023. This increase can be attributed to several factors, including the growing popularity of online gaming among children, and the increasing sophistication of cybercriminal tactics.

Among the most exploited games, Minecraft remains a top target, with over 3 million attacks detected. Following close behind were Roblox, with more than 1.6 million attack attempts, and Among Us, which saw nearly a million attack attempts during the analyzed period.

The most common threats associated with these games were adware and malicious downloaders, which can easily disguise themselves as game-related content, and trick young users into installing them.

Specifically, one of the most common scams used by cybercriminals is the offer of free in-game items, such as skins or currency. These offers often lead victims to malicious websites or downloads. Another tactic is the use of phishing pages that mimic popular gaming platforms to trick users into revealing their personal information.

One example involved using Pokémon GO, where users were asked to enter their gaming credentials and complete fake surveys before being redirected to fraudulent websites.

Kaspersky experts believe that the increasing sophistication of cybercriminal attacks is due in part to the use of automated tools and artificial intelligence. These technologies allow cybercriminals to create more convincing and personalized phishing campaigns.

Kaspersky advises parents to stay informed about online threats, communicate openly with their children, and set clear rules. They suggest the Cybersecurity Alphabet for education. Additionally, Kaspersky states that installing trusted security software on gaming devices helps prevent malicious downloads and ensures safety.