Recent Quotes View Full List My Watchlist Create Watchlist Indicators DJI Nasdaq Composite SPX Gold Crude Oil Hydroworld Market Index Markets Stocks ETFs Tools Overview News Currencies International Treasuries Russian hackers targeted diplomats at nearly 2 dozen embassies in Ukraine with ad for a cheap BMW: report By: FOX Business July 12, 2023 at 10:30 AM EDT Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a suspected effort by Russian hackers to target foreign diplomats in Kyiv, Ukraine, through a malicious ad about a BMW car for sale. Hackers believed to be working on behalf of Russia’s foreign intelligence agency have targeted diplomats in nearly two dozen embassies in Ukraine by trying to get them to interact with a fake ad about a used BMW for sale in Kyiv, a report says. The scheme, which was uncovered by the Unit 42 research division at cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks, reached at least 22 of the 80 foreign missions currently active in Ukraine’s capital, according to Reuters. "The campaign began with an innocuous and legitimate event," the news agency quoted a report from Unit 42 as saying, adding that, "In mid-April 2023, a diplomat within the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs emailed a legitimate flyer to various embassies advertising the sale of a used BMW 5-series sedan located in Kyiv." Unit 42 said the suspected Russian hacking group, known as APT29, then intercepted the flyer, edited it to lower the vehicle’s price and embedded malicious software before emailing it to other diplomats in the region, Reuters reported. HACKERS STEAL PERSONAL INFORMATION FROM 8,000 PILOT APPLICANTS FOR AMERICAN, SOUTHWEST The doctored advertisement tried to encourage recipients to open a purported album of photographs of the used car for sale, and if they did, it would install software that would give the hackers remote access to their machines, the news agency added, citing the Unit 42 report. "Diplomatic missions will always be a high-value espionage target," Unit 42 reportedly said. "Sixteen months into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, intelligence surrounding Ukraine and allied diplomatic efforts are almost certainly a high priority for the Russian government". It is unclear how many embassies or computers have been affected by the scheme. A U.S. State Department spokesperson told Reuters it is "aware of the activity and based on the Directorate of Cyber and Technology Security's analysis found it did not affect Department systems or accounts." MICROSOFT ADMITS SERVICE DISRUPTIONS TO ONEDRIVE, OUTLOOK WERE CYBERATTACKS FROM MYSTERIOUS HACKER GROUP Unit 42 linked the hacking effort to APT29 – which was identified by U.S. and British intelligence in 2021 as being part of Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence agency – through tools and techniques they previously have used in their work, according to Reuters. The Polish diplomat behind the original advertisement said someone called him to say the price of the vehicle was "attractive," and "when I checked, I realized they were talking about a slightly lower price," Reuters also reported. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS He told Reuters that the car is still on the market. "I'll try to sell it in Poland, probably," he said. "After this situation, I don't want to have any more problems." Data & News supplied by www.cloudquote.io Stock quotes supplied by Barchart Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes. By accessing this page, you agree to the following Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.
Russian hackers targeted diplomats at nearly 2 dozen embassies in Ukraine with ad for a cheap BMW: report By: FOX Business July 12, 2023 at 10:30 AM EDT Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a suspected effort by Russian hackers to target foreign diplomats in Kyiv, Ukraine, through a malicious ad about a BMW car for sale. Hackers believed to be working on behalf of Russia’s foreign intelligence agency have targeted diplomats in nearly two dozen embassies in Ukraine by trying to get them to interact with a fake ad about a used BMW for sale in Kyiv, a report says. The scheme, which was uncovered by the Unit 42 research division at cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks, reached at least 22 of the 80 foreign missions currently active in Ukraine’s capital, according to Reuters. "The campaign began with an innocuous and legitimate event," the news agency quoted a report from Unit 42 as saying, adding that, "In mid-April 2023, a diplomat within the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs emailed a legitimate flyer to various embassies advertising the sale of a used BMW 5-series sedan located in Kyiv." Unit 42 said the suspected Russian hacking group, known as APT29, then intercepted the flyer, edited it to lower the vehicle’s price and embedded malicious software before emailing it to other diplomats in the region, Reuters reported. HACKERS STEAL PERSONAL INFORMATION FROM 8,000 PILOT APPLICANTS FOR AMERICAN, SOUTHWEST The doctored advertisement tried to encourage recipients to open a purported album of photographs of the used car for sale, and if they did, it would install software that would give the hackers remote access to their machines, the news agency added, citing the Unit 42 report. "Diplomatic missions will always be a high-value espionage target," Unit 42 reportedly said. "Sixteen months into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, intelligence surrounding Ukraine and allied diplomatic efforts are almost certainly a high priority for the Russian government". It is unclear how many embassies or computers have been affected by the scheme. A U.S. State Department spokesperson told Reuters it is "aware of the activity and based on the Directorate of Cyber and Technology Security's analysis found it did not affect Department systems or accounts." MICROSOFT ADMITS SERVICE DISRUPTIONS TO ONEDRIVE, OUTLOOK WERE CYBERATTACKS FROM MYSTERIOUS HACKER GROUP Unit 42 linked the hacking effort to APT29 – which was identified by U.S. and British intelligence in 2021 as being part of Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence agency – through tools and techniques they previously have used in their work, according to Reuters. The Polish diplomat behind the original advertisement said someone called him to say the price of the vehicle was "attractive," and "when I checked, I realized they were talking about a slightly lower price," Reuters also reported. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS He told Reuters that the car is still on the market. "I'll try to sell it in Poland, probably," he said. "After this situation, I don't want to have any more problems."