Russian hackers part of a group known as Cozy Bear or APT 29 have been accused of breaching the Republican National Committee's computer systems last week, according to reports.
Cozy Bear is said to be linked to Russia's foreign intelligence service, according to a report by Bloomberg. The group has also been previously accused as the perpetrators behind the SolarWinds cyberattack last year as well as an attack on the Democratic National Committee in 2016.
Russian Hacker Group Attacks GOP: What Happened
The Russian hacker group attack allegedly carried out by Cozy Bear on the GOP was repeatedly denied by the Republican National Committee (RNC), according to Bloomberg. Spokesman Mike Reed said that "there is no indication the RNC was hacked or any RNC information was stolen."
Chief of Staff Richard Walters eventually released a statement which said that the RNC has learned of an attack on their third-party provider, Synnex Corporation.
"We immediately blocked all access from Synnex accounts to our cloud environment," according to Walters.
In a press release posted on the official company website, Synnex has confirmed that the company "is aware of a few instances where outside actors have attempted to gain access, through SYNNEX, to customer applications within the Microsoft cloud environment."
Synnex also said that the attack on their system might be connected to the recent cyberattacks on Managed Service Providers (MSPs). The company has confirmed that it is conducting a review of the attack and that it is focusing on making sure that their operations remain secure for their clients.
Recent Ransomware Attacks on the U.S.
The cyberattack on the GOP allegedly conducted by Russian hacker group Cozy Bear joins a growing list of cyberattacks being committed against the United States in recent weeks.
IT firm Kaseya has been a recent victim of a ransomware attack allegedly by Russian hacker group REvil. The attack has affected at least 1,000 companies housed in at least 17 countries. The Russian hacker group has since demanded $70 million as ransom for the data they have stolen. Around 200 businesses in the U.S. have been affected by the ransomware attack on Kaseya.
Another cyberattack took place last month and targeted members of the United States Congress. The attack on iConstituent affected 60 members of the Congress.
Related Article: REvil Ransomware Believed to be Responsible For Kaseya Cyberattack Involving At Least 200 Companies
Biden Warns Putin, Orders Probe on Ransomware Attacks
According to Bloomberg, U.S. President Joe Biden has given a warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin at a June 16 summit in connection to the cyberattacks that have been carried out by Russian hacker groups like REvil.
The president has also said that his government is planning a federal probe on the cyberattacks on Kaseya. The probe seeks to see the extent and the damage of the ransomware attack on Kaseya and other victims.
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Isabella James
