Three Russian Nationals Are Sanctioned By The EU For Cyber Attacks That Targeted Estonia's Important Ministries.
Three People Have Been Sanctioned By The European Union Council For Allegedly Engaging in " Malicious Cyber Activities" Against Estonia.
The statement stated that three Russian citizens, Yuriy Fedorovich Denisov, Vitaly Shevchenko, and Nikolay Alexandrovich Korchagin, are officers of the general staff of the Armed forces of the Russian Federation (GRU) unit 29155. According to the Council's ruling, everyone is accountable for cyber attacks that target computer systems in an effort to gather information from various institutions data systems and obtain a better understanding of Estonia's Cyber security strategy.
Unit 29155 was previously linked by the U.S. Government and it's allies to a series of cyber attacks targeting the Government services. Financial services, transportation systems, energy, and health care sectors of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) members, the European Union, Central American, and Asian countries. " The cyber attacks granted attackers unauthorized access to classified information and sensitive data stored within several Government ministries including economic affairs and communications, social affairs, and foreign affairs, leading to the theft of thousands of confidential documents," the council said.
The threat activity cluster is also monitored by the cybersecurity community under the names Cadet Blizzard, Ember Bear, FROZEN VISTA, Nodaria, Ruinous Ursa, UAC-0056, and UNC2589. Both Korchagin and Denisov were charged by the U.S. department of Justice ( DOJ ) for their alleged involvement in a conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and wire fraud conspiracy against target's in Ukraine, the U.S. and 25 other NATO Nations.
The adversarial collective is estimated to have targeted and interfered with aid efforts to Ukraine since at least early 2022. In addition to forbidden E.U. person's and business from conducting business with those mentioned, the most recent enforcement action imposes travel restrictions and asset freezes on a total of 17 individuals and four entities. Cybersecurity GRU Unit 29155 and it's commander, Andrey Vladimirovich Averyanov, were among 16 people and three organizations sanctioned by the council last month for " Russia's destabilizing actions abroad."
" Though coups, assassinations, bombings, and cyber attacks against other countries around the world in Connection with the war in Ukraine, it has sought to create chaos and destabilize European Union countries," said the council. " By carrying out such actions, it seeks to keep and benefit Russia."
