The USA accused the Russian of cyberattacks on Ukraine

The Russian national, whose father is also wanted for another cybercrime, was accused by the US of launching multiple attacks using the WisperGate malware against the Ukrainian government at least a month before the Russian invasion.

Stigall and members of the General Staff’s General Intelligence Directorate (GRU) first attacked Ukrainian government systems on January 13, 2022, a month before Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24 of that year. According to the DoJ, the accused and his accomplices used the services of an American company to spread the malicious software WisperGate to dozens of computer systems of the Ukrainian government and related agencies. WisperGate, which at first looks like ransomware, was designed to disrupt systems and destroy data.

The malicious ‘hack and destroy’ campaign has been extended to computer systems in countries supporting Ukraine, including the US. US Attorney General Matthew H. Olsen commented on the GRU’s continued use of cyber tactics for “indiscriminate destruction and intimidation” and emphasized the Department of Justice’s commitment to stopping such malicious acts and bringing cybercriminals to justice.

Ukrainian government networks targeted in WisperGate attacks prior to the intrusion included the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Treasury, the State Emergency Service, and the Ministries of Education, Agriculture, Energy and Sports. Kremlin hackers were also able to extract sensitive data from compromised systems, including patient medical records, and attempted to sell the stolen data online the same day, according to the DoJ.

Between August 2021 and the break-in, court documents allege the conspirators used the same WisperGate malware to infiltrate a federal agency in Maryland, possibly to test the software’s capabilities, which led to the indictment in the US. Russian citizen Amin Tymovych Stighal, who is accused of cooperating with Russian military intelligence to destroy Ukrainian government computer systems and data, remains at large and could face up to five years in prison.