(ConservativeHub.com) – Cyclopes are typically found in sci-fi stories and fairy tales — and apparently Russian hacking operations. The US government is constantly finding, evaluating, and destroying cyber threats to our national security. Its latest success disrupted a campaign to establish a botnet named “Cyclops Blink,” controlled by Russian Federation’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU).
On Wednesday, April 6, the Justice Department announced it released thousands of compromised hard drives from the grips of “Cyclops Blink” malware in March. Experts know the malware as “Sandworm,” a common form of cyberattack used by the GRU. This operation effectively stopped Russia from using computers it infected to create a botnet, a network that attacks other servers with chaotic traffic.
Fox News shared more about this success:
FBI disrupts Russian military hackers, preventing botnet amid Ukraine warhttps://t.co/v80ttaKuKI
— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 7, 2022
To complete such an operation, the FBI secretly had to remove malware from thousands of devices primarily used by small businesses. The attack targeted companies using WatchGuard Technologies Inc. and ASUSTek Computer Inc. devices. While those companies have provided “detection and remediation” guidelines, authorities warned that affected devices may still be at risk if users fail to follow recommendations.
This story shows how vital it is to check for computer and software updates and use them to keep data safe and out of the hands of bad actors.
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