The UK has accused Russia’s military intelligence agency of carrying out a series of “indiscriminate and reckless cyber attacks” around the world.
The UK Foreign Office said the Russian State was behind high profile attacks on international political institution, businesses, media outlets and sporting agencies.
The British National Cyber Security Centre said the GRU military intelligence agency was responsible for hacking a range of agencies including the US Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
It is the first time the UK has directly accused the Russian State of orchestrating global cyber attacks.
In a statement the UK Foreign Office said the attacks show that the Kremlin is “working in secret to undermine international law and international institutions.”
The country’s Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt described the alleged attacks as “reckless and indiscriminate” insisting that they “serve no legitimate national security interest.”
“They try to undermine and interfere in elections in other countries – they are even prepared to damage Russian companies and Russian citizens,” he said.
“This pattern of behaviour demonstrates their desire to operate without regard to international law or established norms and to do so with a feeling of impunity and without consequences.
“Our message is clear: together with our allies, we will expose and respond to the GRU’s attempts to undermine international stability.”
UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt at the Conservative Party annual conference, 30-09-2018. Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire/PA Images
The UK said the attacks aim to destabilise democracies and target businesses – and “have cost national economies millions of pounds.”
It said the Kremlin was behind:
- An October 2017 attack that caused disruption including to the Kyiv metro, Odessa airport, Russia’s central bank and two Russian media outlets.
- The August 2017 hacking and publication of confidential athlete medical files from the World Anti-Doping Agency.
- The 2016 hacking and leaking of thousands of emails from the US Democratic National Committee (DNC).
- The hacking and stealing of multiple email accounts belonging to UK-based TV station in 2015.
- A June 2017 cyber attack targeting the Ukrainian financial, energy and government sectors.
- The October 2017 infection of thousands of homes and small businesses with VPNFILTER malware – allowing attackers control people’s devices.
The 2016 attack on the DNC led to the publication of thousands of emails and the controversy over presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.
US security officials have already blamed the GRU for this attack, linked to a hacking group called Fancy Bear.
The UK Foreign Office announcement is part of a British Government campaign to expose the actions of the GRU in the wake of the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury in March.
Westminster has insisted the GRU was behind the nerve agent attack – however the Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement.