The US government has expanded charges against five Russian military intelligence officers for their alleged roles in the so-called WhisperGate malware attacks aimed at destroying computer systems in Ukraine and 26 NATO allies including the United States.
The charges, announced on Thursday, name five Russian military intelligence officers in a conspiracy to demoralize the Ukrainian people on the eve of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The indictments, first announced in June, allege that the Russian officers targeted Ukrainian government computer systems, including the judiciary, emergency services, food safety and education. These systems were not related to defense.
The WhisperGate attacks in January 2022 could be considered Russia's first shot in the war, said William DelBagno, special agent in charge of the FBI's Baltimore field office.
The cyber attacks penetrated US companies and targeted Ukraine's civilian infrastructure and computer systems unrelated to defence, including the judiciary, emergency services, food safety and education, officials said.
“Seeking to sap the morale of the Ukrainian public, the defendants also stole and leaked the personal data of thousands of Ukrainian civilians, including by posting patient health information and other sensitive private data for sale online and then taunting those victims,” said Matthew Olsen, assistant attorney general for national security.
The attacks weren’t limited to Ukraine, Mr Olsen said at the news conference in Baltimore, which also included Maryland US Attorney Erek Barron.
“They went on to target computer systems in other nations supporting Ukraine in its fight for survival,” Mr Olsen continued.
“Ultimately, their targets included computer systems in 26 NATO partners, including the United States.”
The charges allege that the accused committed fraud in the US by illegally accessing bank accounts and using a US company to unwittingly carry out their crimes, said DelBagno.
A federal grand jury in Baltimore indicted military intelligence officers Vladislav Borovkov, Denis Denisenko, Yury Denisov, Dmitry Goloshubov and Nikolai Korchagin along with Amin Timovich Stigal, a 22-year-old Russian civilian indicted in June.
It accuses them of conspiring to gain unauthorised access to computers associated with the governments of Ukraine and its allies.
Combined, the US government is offering $US60 million ($89 million) in rewards for help leading to their locations or malicious cyber activity.
All six are most likely in Russia, but federal officials said the indictment was useful anyway, to prevent them from travelling and to show that the US has exposed their conspiracy.
In January, the Justice Department also disrupted a botnet controlled by Russian military intelligence that officials say was used to enable crimes and espionage, and in May, officials announced charges against the alleged developer of a prolific ransomware variant known as LockBit.
The charges are the latest in a crackdown on Russian cyber activity against the US and its allies.
A Wider Crackdown
The US has stepped up its efforts to crack down on Russian cybercrime and espionage since the invasion of Ukraine.
In January, the Justice Department also disrupted a botnet controlled by Russian military intelligence that officials say was used to enable crimes and espionage, and in May, officials announced charges against the alleged developer of a prolific ransomware variant known as LockBit.
Russia's 'First Shot' in the War?
The WhisperGate attacks are widely seen as a prelude to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“This is a reminder that cyber operations are a critical component of hybrid warfare, and the United States is committed to holding perpetrators accountable,” said Mr Olsen.
The charges against the five Russian military intelligence officers and the civilian are a significant development in the US government’s efforts to counter Russian cyber espionage. They also highlight the increasing reliance of states on cyber warfare as a tool for achieving their strategic objectives.
## More Than a Cyber Attack
The WhisperGate attacks were not simply about disrupting computer systems; they were designed to sow chaos and undermine public confidence in Ukraine’s ability to defend itself.
These charges are a reminder that cyber attacks can have far-reaching consequences, and that governments need to take steps to protect themselves from these threats. The US government has also announced a reward of up to $US60 million ($89 million) for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the six individuals named in the indictment.
## The Latest Development in a Growing Trend
The charges against the five Russian military intelligence officers are just the latest example of the US government’s crackdown on Russian cyber activity.
In January, the Justice Department disrupted a botnet controlled by Russian military intelligence that officials say was used to enable crimes and espionage, and in May, officials announced charges against the alleged developer of a prolific ransomware variant known as LockBit.
These developments suggest that the US government is taking a more aggressive approach to countering Russian cyber espionage. This is likely to be a key focus for the US government in the years to come, as the threat of cyber attacks continues to grow.
The US investigation, Operation Toy Soldier, found the accused committed fraud in the US by illegally accessing bank accounts and using a US company to unwittingly carry out their crimes, DelBagno said.
A Wider Range of Attacks
“Adding insult to injury these individuals not only used tools to scan for vulnerabilities 63 times on a Maryland US-based government agency, but they also scanned our allies throughout the world, including Ukrainian servers and servers in various other countries,” Barron said.
This is a reminder that cyber attacks can have far-reaching consequences, and that governments need to take steps to protect themselves from these threats. It remains to be seen what impact the indictment will have on the defendants and on Russian cyber activity more broadly.
A Global Effort
Mr DelBagno said the indictments were the result of years of collaboration with partners and law enforcement in Europe.
The charges against the five Russian military intelligence officers and the civilian are a significant development in the US government’s efforts to counter Russian cyber espionage. They also highlight the increasing reliance of states on cyber warfare as a tool for achieving their strategic objectives. This is likely to be a key focus for the US government in the years to come, as the threat of cyber attacks continues to grow.
