Military services in Russia allegedly infiltrated and monitored surveillance systems near Romanian borders and NATO territories, in order to gather information about transportation movements.
Updated Report: Russians Alleged to Have Hacked Thousands of Surveillance Cameras in NATO Countries
According to a recent advisory note published by the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Russian military intelligence, specifically the GRU unit 26165, has allegedly accessed around 10,000 surveillance cameras in NATO countries. The cameras targeted were primarily located near train stations, military units, and border crossings with Ukraine, allowing the Russian operatives to monitor Western aid shipments.
British authorities have reported that 80% of the compromised cameras were situated in Ukraine, while about 10% were in Romania. Approximately 4% of the cameras targeted were in Poland, 2.8% in Hungary, and 1.7% in Slovakia. However, the exact locations were not disclosed publicly.
The cyberattacks enabled access to video captures provided by the respective cameras. Furthermore, the NCSC advisory note suggests that the hackers also used traffic monitoring cameras belonging to municipal public services to target sensitive information related to shipments, train schedules, and transport documents. Additionally, the hackers attempted to use a "voice phishing" method, ostensibly imitating the voices of IT employees.
This is not the first time that the GRU has been accused of cyberattacks on NATO countries. In 2022, the group was reported to have used "phishing" emails containing pornographic content and false professional information to gain access to targeted computer systems.
In response, the UK, together with special services from the U.S, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, and the Netherlands, has requested private companies involved in providing aid to Ukraine to heighten their security measures against such attacks.
Recently, Romania, along with its NATO allies, has faced other cyberattacks. Earlier this month, the pro-Russian hacker group NoName057 claimed responsibility for a DDoS attack on several official websites belonging to Romanian institutions on the day of the first round of the presidential elections.
The ongoing campaign serves as a reminder of the evolving nature of hybrid warfare and the critical role robust cybersecurity measures play among NATO allies.
- The ongoing hacking incident underscores the importance of cybersecurity in the face of escalating war-and-conflicts, as the latest report reveals Russian military intelligence's continued intrusions into NATO countries' technology infrastructure, including surveillance cameras.
- In light of the growing cybersecurity threats from nations involved in geopolitical conflicts, politics and general news persistently highlight the need for collaboration between NATO allies to bolster their technology defenses against potential attacks, as evidenced by the joint request for enhanced security measures by the UK, US, and other allies from the affected countries.
