A new report by Microsoft shows that notorious state-backed Russian hacking group Fancy Bear (aka APT28, Strontium, Sofacy, Sednit, Tsar Team, and Sandworm) has launched “significant cyberattacks” targeting at least 16 anti-doping and sporting organizations in various countries across the globe. The campaign began on September 16.
In 2018, Russia’s Olympic team was suspended from participating in the Winter Olympics as the result of a massive doping scandal. In this context, Fancy Bear was also connected to hacking attacks targeting anti-doping organizations. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) recently reported that it found inconsistencies in data belonging to Russia’s national anti-doping laboratory. While those findings could eventually lead to another suspension of Russia’s Olympic team, this time for the 2020 Winter Olympics in Tokyo, the Fancy Bear campaign actually began before this news broke. Microsoft said that “the methods used in the most recent attacks are similar to those routinely used by Strontium to target governments, militaries, think tanks, law firms, human rights organizations, financial firms and universities around the world.”
Read more: Microsoft Warns of Cyberattacks Against Anti-Doping Orgs
