France blames the Russian GRU for years-long cyber espionage
France has accused the Russian military intelligence agency GRU of cyberattacks for the first time, targeting the country for several years. The method of operations, known as APT28, aims to destabilize society and gather information.
The French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noel Barrot, announced on Tuesday that the Russian military intelligence GRU has been conducting cyberattacks against France for several years. The method they use is known as APT28. This is the first time France has directly accused Russia of these actions.
In a statement published on platform X, Barrot informed that since 2021, the attacks have targeted about ten French entities. French authorities warn that APT28 is the "new face of the quiet war conducted by Russia against France." This group infiltrates networks to gather information and destabilize society.
In the video published by the minister, it was emphasized that the hackers' target is the media. In 2015, Russian hackers attacked the TV5 Monde channel, posing as the Islamic State organization, which caused a several-hour broadcast interruption.
The goal was to incite panic in a country affected by terrorist attacks.
Impact on the presidential elections
During the 2017 presidential campaign, APT28 stole and disseminated thousands of documents to influence public opinion. However, the data leak had no significant impact on the election results, and Emmanuel Macron defeated Marine Le Pen, securing 66 percent of the votes.
The threat from APT28 remains active. Since 2021, the group has increased its number of targets, including ministerial institutions, defence companies, and sectors of the economy and finance.
APT28, also known as "Fancy Bear," was previously accused by American services of attempting to interfere in the 2016 elections. Authorities in European countries and the USA have imposed sanctions on individuals and entities associated with APT28, who are trying to destabilize public opinion.
