US Offers $10 Million for Three Russian Energy Firm Hackers

According to Rewards for Justice, the US Department of State this week announced rewards of up to $10 million for information on three Russian Federal Security Service officers: Pavel Aleksandrovich Akulov, Mikhail Mikhailovich Gavrilov, and Marat Valeryevich Tyukov. The three conspired to hack into the networks of hundreds of energy companies in the US and abroad, with targets including more than 380 foreign energy-sector companies in 135 countries.

The suspects, members of the FSB’s Center 16 unit, are linked to the Dragonfly campaign that used Havex malware and involved supply chain compromise. In the second phase, Dragonfly 2.0, the trio allegedly targeted over 3,300 users at more than 500 US and international companies and entities, including US government agencies, in spear-phishing attacks.

The indictment and related charges were brought in August 2021, according to the article, and further context notes dynamic activity around the FSB-linked hacking campaigns.