FBI Warns: Russian Hackers Targeting Critical Infrastructure

The FBI is warning that Russian hackers, linked to the Kremlin, are targeting critical infrastructure by exploiting vulnerabilities in networking devices.

According to Cisco and the FBI, hackers from the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) are collecting network device settings, aiming to exploit them for cyberattacks. Hackers from the FSB's 'Center 16' are exploiting a security vulnerability in Cisco IS software that has not been updated on older devices.

The FBI reports that it has detected hackers collecting configuration files for thousands of network devices connected to American entities in critical infrastructure sectors. The attacks primarily target the communications, construction, and higher education sectors in North America, Africa, and Europe.

The U.S. Department of Justice had indicted four Russians for cyberattacks on the global energy sector from 2012 to 2018.