US, Microsoft seize more than 100 websites allegedly used by Russian spies

The FBI and Microsoft have seized more than 100 web domains they say are being used by Russian intelligence for cyberespionage, according to court documents released Thursday.

These domains have reportedly served as a base for Russia's FSB intelligence service in its ongoing efforts to spy on targets of interest, ranging from the U.S. Department of Energy to Russian nonprofit groups and media outlets critical of the Kremlin.

The FBI said in an affidavit that the websites were used as part of a spear phishing campaign, a term for targeted efforts to trick people into disclosing sensitive information, usually email login credentials. This information was sought in an attempt to gain unauthorized access to victims' computers and email accounts and then steal valuable information and sensitive U.S. government intelligence, the FBI said in its affidavit.

The Justice Department seized 41 web domains, according to the FBI affidavit, and also granted Microsoft control of 66 additional domains that the company said were part of the same operation.

The information targeted by the FSB and illegally obtained during the criminal conspiracy included sensitive information related to the identity of United States employees, defense foreign affairs and security policies, as well as technology, research and development related to nuclear energy, all of which is confidential. particularly valuable to the Russian government's efforts to engage in malign foreign influence operations in the United States, the FBI said in the affidavit.

The Russian Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Intelligence agencies, even with moderate cyber capabilities, routinely hack foreign targets to gather intelligence. The seizure is a rare case in which the United States used its justice system to publicly illustrate how it disrupted an alleged foreign cyberespionage operation.

The FSB is the successor agency to the KGB and is roughly analogous to the FBI in the United States. To date, the United States has not accused the FSB of attempting to significantly interfere in the 2024 U.S. election. The United States has accused Russia's military intelligence agency, the GRU, of hacked and published Hillary Clinton's campaign emails in 2016 in order to harm her presidential candidacy.

A Microsoft spokesperson told NBC News that the company has not seen the FSB hackers specifically attempting to hack U.S. political campaigns or election infrastructure. But in a blog post describing the takedown, Steven Masada, deputy general counsel for Microsoft's digital crimes unit, noted that hackers had a history of targeting political enemies and that Microsoft wanted to make it harder for hackers to do their jobs. Russian cyber spies.

The legal withdrawal impacts their operations at a critical time when foreign interference in U.S. democratic processes is of greatest concern. It will also allow us to quickly disrupt any new infrastructure we identify as part of an existing legal proceeding, Massada said.

The Justice Department last year indicted two FSB officers suspected of participating in the same campaign, alleging they tried to influence British policy, which the United States and its allies view as a crossing the red line in terms of cyber operations. According to British authorities, the agents not only broke into the email accounts of parliamentarians and think tanks, but also attempted to leak information to British and Russian media ahead of the 2019 British elections.

Many of the web domains allegedly used by the FSB were hosted by the Virginia-based company Verisign, according to court documents. There is no indication that Verisign knowingly authorized the FSB to use its services to carry out hacking operations. The company did not respond to a request for comment.

Natalia Krapiva, senior legal and technical advisor at the nonprofit Access Now, which has been warning other nonprofits for years about the so-called FSB campaign, said the seizure of web domains was a victory for nonprofit groups that are regularly targeted by intelligence services.

This joint legal action is a striking example of what can be accomplished when private companies, governments and civil society join forces to protect vulnerable communities from cyberattacks, she said.

Sources 1/ https://Google.com/ 2/ https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/us-microsoft-seize-100-websites-allegedly-used-russian-spies-rcna173784 The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos