Microsoft Corp Thwarts Russian Hackers, Strontium, Breaks Into Targets In Ukraine, EU And US

JAKARTA - Microsoft Corp said on Thursday, April 7 that it had interfered with hacking attempts by Russian military spies aimed at breaking into Ukrainian, European Union and American targets.

In a blog post, the technology company said a group dubbed "Strontium" used seven internet domains as part of an effort to spy on government agencies and think tanks in the European Union and the United States, as well as Ukrainian institutions such as the media organization.

Microsoft did not identify any targets by their names. But this is horrendous enough.

Strontium is Microsoft's moniker for a group often called Fancy Bear or APT28 - a hacking squad linked to Russia's military intelligence agency.

The Russian Embassy in Washington did not immediately reply to a message from Reuters, seeking comment on Microsoft's claims.

Ukraine has been beset by hacking attempts since Russian troops invaded the country in February. But the Russian side has consistently denied accusations that they have carried out this hacking attempt.