THE Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), in collaboration with the FBI, has uncovered a sustained Russian cyber espionage campaign targeting the messaging accounts of officials, military personnel, and activists in Ukraine, Europe, and the United States. The operation focuses on intelligence collection rather than disruption, employing low-tech methods such as sending SMS messages that impersonate support bots to gather sensitive information.
The attacks are widespread, impacting not only high-value targets but also ordinary citizens. The FBI has reported a shift in tactics, now targeting Signal Backup Recovery Keys which provide access to entire message histories. Recommendations for protection against these attacks include regular checks of active sessions, enabling two-factor authentication, and being cautious with unknown SMS messages and QR codes.