Incident Details
The APT28 hacking group from Russia, also known as 'Strontium' or 'Fancy Bear,' has focused its cyber attacks on government organizations, companies, educational institutions, research centers, and policy institutes in France starting from mid-2021. This threat actor, believed to be affiliated with the Russian military intelligence agency GRU, has recently been associated with exploiting vulnerabilities such as CVE-2023-38831 in WinRAR for remote code execution, and CVE-2023-23397 in Microsoft Outlook for zero-day privilege elevation.
Incident
How Did the Breach Happen?
APT28 utilized brute force attacks and exposed databases with login information to infiltrate accounts and Ubiquiti routers within specific networks. Additionally, they employed phishing schemes, took advantage of software vulnerabilities, and made use of VPN clients as part of their strategy.
What Data has been Compromised?
The culprits focused on stealing confidential data and communications, such as obtaining emails from hacked accounts. Additionally, they acquired login credentials and gathered information saved in internet browsers.
Why Did the company's Security Measures Fail?
Security measures might not have been effective for several reasons, such as using easily guessable passwords, not implementing email security protocols, and running outdated software that has known weaknesses.
What Immediate Impact Did the Breach Have on the company?
The breach quickly affected various government entities, businesses, universities, research institutes, and think tanks in France. The information that was unlawfully taken could pose risks to their activities, endanger national security, and breach data privacy laws.
How could this have been prevented?
To avoid the breach, it was suggested to use strong email security measures such as secure exchange platforms, reducing potential points of attack, and ensuring timely software updates and patches to defend against recognized weaknesses.
What have we learned from this data breach?
It has been observed that government institutions and organizations dealing with confidential data are vulnerable to cyber threats. Emphasizing cybersecurity protocols, consistently updating software, and training staff on recognizing phishing attempts and other cyber attack methods are essential.
Summary of Coverage
During the year 2021, the hacking group known as APT28 from Russia infiltrated a significant number of crucial networks in France. Their targets included government offices, commercial enterprises, academic institutions, research centers, and policy research groups. A variety of techniques were employed by the group, such as brute-force attacks, phishing schemes, exploiting system vulnerabilities, and compromising VPN connections. This security breach resulted in the exposure of confidential information and caused immediate disruptions within the entities that were affected. It is recommended that organizations enhance their email security protocols and consistently update their software to mitigate the risk of potential breaches in the future.