DEF CON Safe Mode Biohacking Village - Khatuna Mshvidobadze - Russian Cyber Threats in Pandemic Era

Russia has seized upon the global Covid-19 pandemic as an opportunity to use its multifaceted, multidirectional information and cyberwarfare strategy against its prospective enemies. Russian state-sponsored hackers are using the coronavirus to spread different types of malware against western nations. Universities, hospitals and scientific facilities with access to classified information are targeted to steal data and research related to Covid-19. In this respect, the presentation will cover cyber-attack efforts against the healthcare industry in the United States and Europe. The presentation will discuss tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) of the advanced persistent threat (APT) groups. It will review Russian ransomware criminal actors and their communication channels (dark web). The presentation also will highlight the role of the siloviki (people of power) in the country’s information warfare efforts. It will examine the structural units of the Russian Federal Security service (FSB) and Russian military intelligence (GRU), their projects and their networks of allied criminal groups. It will discuss how intelligence organizations are using APT groups through complex outsourcing strategies to conduct cyberwarfare over a broad spectrum. The presentation suggests several factors that drive the current trends in Russian cyber capabilities. It will also survey current trends: growing sophistication of TTPs and tools, supply chain threats, false flag operations, deception tactics, third party entry vectors and cyber espionage. Finally, the Russian Cyber Threat presentation will cover the role and mission of the Russian Foundation for Advanced Research Projects in the Defense Industry, the Russian Army’s Technopolis, and Russia’s chemical, biological, medical, informational and research efforts.