UK and Allies Unmask Russian Cyber Campaign for Political Interference

• UK & International Partners expose Russian cyber interference in UK politics.
• Russian Intelligence Services targeted UK parliamentarians, leaked documents, and hacked organizations.
• NCSC & partners offer guidance on cyber security to protect against such attacks.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and international partners have exposed a campaign of malicious cyber activity by the Russian Intelligence Services targeting UK politics and democratic processes. The group responsible, known as Star Blizzard, has been identified as being almost certainly subordinate to Centre 18 of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).

The malicious activity includes:

• Targeting UK parliamentarians from multiple political parties, including spear-phishing, from at least 2015 to 2023.
• Compromising UK-US trade documents that were leaked ahead of the 2019 General Election.
• Hacking the Institute for Statecraft, a UK thinktank, in 2018 and its founder, Christopher Donnelly, in 2021, with documents subsequently leaked.
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• Targeting universities, journalists, the public sector, NGOs, and other civil society organizations.

The group has also:

• Selectively leaked information obtained through its operations.
• Amplified the release of information to undermine trust in politics in the UK and other like-minded states.
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The UK has condemned these attempts to interfere in UK politics as “completely unacceptable” and a threat to democratic processes.

In response, the NCSC and partners have issued a new cyber security advisory, sharing details about the attacks and how to defend against them. The NCSC has also updated its guidance for individuals at higher risk of being targeted.

The NCSC Director of Operations stated:

“Defending our democratic processes is an absolute priority for the NCSC and we condemn any attempt which seeks to interfere or undermine our values. Russia’s use of cyber operations to further its attempts at political interference is wholly unacceptable and we are resolute in calling out this pattern of activity with our partners.”

This exposure is part of a broader pattern of cyber activity by the Russian Intelligence Services. In recent years, the UK and allies have exposed Russian involvement in compromises affecting ViaSat, SolarWinds, and critical national infrastructure.

This incident highlights the ongoing threat of cyber espionage and the need for organizations to take steps to protect themselves. The NCSC has provided guidance on how to improve cyber security posture, including setting up two-step verification, creating strong passwords, and installing updates promptly.

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