The FBI and Microsoft have moved to seize over 100 web domains purportedly belonging to Russian intelligence agency FSB, it has emerged.
According to an FBI affidavit unsealed on Thursday, the sites formed part of a “spear phishing campaign,” aimed at tricking US employees into unwittingly disclosing confidential details, such as email login credentials. Sought-after information included “sensitive United States government intelligence,” alongside information pertaining to media outlets that were critical of the Kremlin.
The news comes as tensions surrounding the looming US Presidential election reach fever pitch. Just a week ago, it was revealed that Russia is using AI to potentially derail the election, with Republican nominee Donald Trump the Kremlin’s favored candidate.
Russian Spy Sites Seized by US and Microsoft
The US Department of Justice, operating in tandem with tech giant Microsoft, have seized over 100 web domains that allegedly formed part of a Russian espionage campaign, as revealed by court documents unsealed on Thursday.
NBC News reports that the domains served as “staging grounds” for the Russian FSB agency to spy on certain targets, including the US Department of Energy, Russian nonprofit groups, and anti-Kremlin media outlets. The Justice Department seized 41 of the domains, while Microsoft was granted control of a further 66.
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Said the affidavit: “The information targeted by the FSB and illegally accessed during the criminal conspiracy included sensitive information related to the identity of United States employees…all of which is particularly valuable to the Russian government’s efforts to engage in malign foreign influence operations within the United States.” The Kremlin has not responded to a request for comment.
Big Tech Integral to National Security
The US’s counterintelligence operation unfolded between January 2023 and August 2024, during which time Microsoft observed the Callisto Group – a cybercriminal group backed by the FSB agency – targeting “over 30 civil society organizations,” according to a blog published by the Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit.
The Russians have been carrying out sophisticated cyberattacks since at least 2017, Microsoft alleges. Recent targets include nonprofits, think tanks, and officials who “provide support to Ukraine and in NATO countries.”
In December last year, the US charged Callisto Group members Ruslan Aleksandrovich Peretyatko and Andrey Stanislavovich Korinets with conspiracy to commit computer fraud over the spear phising attacks. Believed to be holed up in Russia, both are wanted by the FBI.
US Fears Russian Election Swing
With the US Presidential election just a month away, fears are growing that Russian interference could prove decisive in the showdown between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Various media outlets are reporting that Harris is narrowly leading in the polls at present, but the Kremlin-backed candidate is not out of the race yet.
It’s notable that, while the US routinely foils attempted foreign espionage, this is a rare instance in which it has leveraged its court system to publicly make an example out of malicious actors. And with top Justice Department official Matthew Olsen warning of an “onslaught of foreign election interference,” it would appear that the federal government is closing ranks ahead of one of the most hotly-anticipated elections in living memory.
Misinformation has never been higher on the agenda, with TikTok recently revamping its US Election Center in light of mounting concerns over truthfulness. These anxieties are stoked by the likes of Trump and X CEO Elon Musk, who continually call into question the reliability of mainstream media sources, seeding distrust and confusion.
