Britain sounds alarm on Russia-based hacking group

Best News Website or Mobile Service

WAN-IFRA Digital Media Awards Worldwide

Best News Website or Mobile Service

Digital Media Awards Worldwide

LONDON : A Russia-based hacking group named Cold River is behind an expansive and ongoing information-gathering campaign that has struck various targets in government, politics, academia, defence, journalism, and activism, Britain said on Thursday.

In an advisory, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part of Britain's GCHQ eavesdropping intelligence agency, said Cold River researches its targets and impersonates people around them using faked email addresses and social media profiles.

"There is often some correspondence between attacker and target, sometimes over an extended period, as the attacker builds rapport," the advisory said.