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Russian Hackers Tried to Steal US and NATO Nuclear Fusion Research
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Russian state-linked hackers carried out a yearlong cyber espionage campaign targeting US nuclear researchers, defense contractors, government officials, and organizations across NATO countries, according to a joint cybersecurity advisory issued by US authorities and more than a dozen allied governments.
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The campaign was also detailed in a report by cybersecurity firm Proofpoint and first reported by CNN.
According to CNN, investigators say the operation was aimed at collecting sensitive intelligence related to advanced nuclear research, defense technologies, and information that could support Russia’s military efforts against Ukraine.
The campaign focused on organizations involved in nuclear science, defense industries, and government institutions in the United States and allied countries.
The attackers reportedly exploited a rare vulnerability in email software that allowed them to compromise accounts simply when a victim opened a malicious email. According to CNN, the technique did not require users to click links or download attachments.
Once successful, the hackers could access up to three months of email correspondence and obtain the organization’s full contact directory.
The joint advisory attributes the activity to a Russian cyber espionage group that has repeatedly targeted Western government and defense institutions. Cybersecurity researchers cited by CNN said the operation demonstrates Moscow’s continued interest in acquiring classified research and strategic intelligence from NATO members.
British Security Minister Dan Jarvis said Russia frequently tests new cyber techniques against Ukrainian targets before deploying them against Western countries. “Ukraine is often the testing ground for new methods before they are used against our NATO allies.”
Western law enforcement agencies have already taken action against the group. According to CNN, Thai authorities arrested a suspected member of the hacking operation last year, and the 30-year-old Russian national was later extradited to the United States to face trial in Boston.
FBI Cyber Division official Brett Leatherman said Russian cyber activity targeting the United States has intensified again after a period of relative decline following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to CNN, US officials view the latest campaign as part of broader Russian efforts to collect intelligence from critical scientific, defense, and government sectors while supporting its ongoing war against Ukraine.
The latest operation follows previous Russian cyber espionage campaigns against NATO infrastructure. Earlier this month, Dutch intelligence revealed that Russian state-backed hackers had compromised internet-connected security cameras across several NATO countries to monitor military shipments bound for Ukraine.
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