US and Allies Accuse Russian Hackers of Email Breaches Without Social Engineering
The United States, along with over a dozen allied nations, has accused Russian hackers of stealing emails from users of the Zimbra email program without using traditional social engineering tactics. The hackers exploited a vulnerability in Zimbra software, allowing them to compromise accounts when users merely opened an email. This method, described as a 'half-click exploit' by cybersecurity firm Proofpoint, bypassed the need for users to click on malicious links or attachments. The hacking campaign, attributed to the Russian government-supported group Laundry Bear, initially targeted Ukraine before expanding to NATO member countries, including the U.S. The group is linked to a Russian cybersecurity company, Yutek-NN, whose deputy director faces hacking charges in the U.S.