US, Britain warn of Russian campaign to hack networks
What's the story
Russian government-sponsored hackers are compromising the key hardware of government and business computer networks like routers and firewalls, giving them virtual control of data flows, Britain and the United States warned Monday. The operation was "to support espionage, extract intellectual property, maintain persistent access to victim networks and potentially lay a foundation for future offensive operations," Washington and London said in a joint statement.
Hacking
Hacking, part of a broad operation: US
"Whoever controls the routing infrastructure of a network essentially controls the data flowing through the network," said the statement. The US Department of Homeland Security said the hacking was part of a broad operation dubbed Grizzly Steppe, which DHS says comprises concerting cyberattacks by Moscow's civilian and military intelligence agencies. The router hacking operation targeted both government and private sector groups.
Alert
Announcement came in an unprecedented joint alert
The router hacking operation has also targeted the key providers of network infrastructure and internet services serving them. The announcement came in an unprecedented joint alert that underscored closer cooperation between Western governments fighting what they say is an ongoing, multifaceted hacking and online disinformation campaign by Moscow. The alert came from Britain's National Cyber Security Centre, DHS and US Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Warnings
No examples given of systems that had been broken
The joint warning came after more than one year of separate warnings over the attempted hacking of key infrastructure like power and water utilities in Western countries. The two sides, however, did not give any examples of systems that had been broken into but said those compromised risked losing data, identities, passwords and even control of their own systems.
Information
Hacking effort goes to critical components of computer network
The hacking effort goes to the critical components of a computer network: the routers, switches, and firewalls designed to safely and accurately deliver data from one computer to another.
Ability
Hackers could shut down service or physically damage a plant
Taking over a router virtually would give a hacker the ability to manipulate, divert or stop any data from going through it. In an operation like an electric power plant, the hacker could shut down the service or physically damage a plant. A hacker could also "potentially lay a foundation for future offensive operations," the joint alert said.
Social media
Moscow using social media to interfere with public affairs
"The current state of US and UK network devices, coupled with a Russian government campaign to exploit these devices, threatens our respective safety, security, and economic well-being," the statement said. Both countries have accused Moscow of concerted efforts to use social media to interfere with public affairs, particularly with the British Brexit referendum and US presidential election in 2016.