Cyber Threat Overview Russia

Cyber Threat Overview: Russia

Russia’s cyber program is an enduring strategic threat to the United States, leveraging advanced capabilities to target critical infrastructure, steal sensitive data, engage in influence campaigns, and further geopolitical goals.

Ongoing tensions, particularly due to the war in Ukraine, have increased the urgency of monitoring and countering Russian cyber operations.

FBI Announces Operation Masquerade

Operation Masquerade was a court-authorized technical disruption of Russian GRU infrastructure used to steal government, military, and critical infrastructure information.

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Russian cyber tactics

Russian state-sponsored cyber actors employ a variety of tactics to infiltrate networks and disrupt operations. They often engage in spearphishing and exploit known vulnerabilities to gain initial access. Once inside, they are skilled at maintaining long-term access to compromised IT systems, carrying out extensive reconnaissance and stealing diplomatic, military, and economic information.

Russian cyber actors have demonstrated the ability to deploy destructive malware against critical infrastructure, as seen in attacks on the energy sector in Ukraine. They also target essential systems in the United States, such as satellite technology, underwater cables, and industrial control systems. By compromising this infrastructure, Russia seeks to demonstrate its ability to inflict damage during a crisis.

Supply chain attacks pose another serious threat, as revealed by recent incidents that demonstrate Russia's ability to insert malicious code into trusted software updates, compromising thousands of networks worldwide. Additionally, pro-Russia hacktivists and other criminals have carried out cyber-attacks to advance Russian geopolitical goals. This creates a blurred line between nation-state and criminal activity, which complicates the threat landscape and attribution efforts.  

The FBI is staying alert by sharing warnings and teaming up with private sector companies to strengthen defenses against these threats. By keeping the public informed and conducting cyber operations with our partners, the FBI aims to impose costs on Russian cyber actors and safeguard national interests.

News and alerts

View more FBI Cyber news and alerts.

Additional resources