This malware first appeared on victim systems in Ukraine on 13 January, according to Microsoft Threat Intelligence Centre (MSTIC)
Evidence of a destructive malware operation that is targeting multiple organisations including government, non-profits organisations and IT firms in Ukraine has been identified by Microsoft.
This malware first appeared on victim systems in Ukraine on 13 January, according to Microsoft Threat Intelligence Centre (MSTIC).
“Microsoft is aware of the on-going geopolitical events in Ukraine and surrounding region and encourages organisations to use the information in this post to proactively protect from any malicious activity”, the company said in a statement.
Shutting down several government websites amid heightened tension with Russia, state-sponsored hackers hit Ukraine with a massive cyber-attack last week.
The websites of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a number of other government agencies went down as a result of the cyber-attack.
Microsoft said that the malware, designed to look like ransom-ware but lacking a ransom recovery mechanism, is intended to be destructive and “designed to render targeted devices inoperable rather than to obtain a ransom”.
“At present and based on Microsoft visibility, our investigation teams have identified the malware on dozens of impacted systems and that number could grow as our investigation continues”, said the company.
Russia has repeatedly been accused of cyber-attacks against Ukraine amid escalated tension between them.
Due to tensions with the NATO, Russia will station troops on its own territory near the Ukrainian border, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
For Security and Co-operation in Europe in Vienna, and then with NATO in Brussels, Russian diplomats held talks with top US officials in Geneva, with the Organisation last week.
They all ended without any breakthrough.
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