The Greek Embassy in Ukraine was attacked by hackers

A hacker group believed to be working for the Russian government has attacked embassies in Ukraine, including the Greek one, by sending out a fake ad for a used car to infect their computers, a U.S. cybersecurity firm has said.

It is not yet known how many cases an attack targeting at least 22 diplomatic missions in Kyiv could have been successful, according to Reuters, which published a report by Palo Alto Networks.

“The hacker attack started from a normal situation, – write the researchers of the company. – In mid-April, a diplomat from the Polish Foreign Ministry sent an advertisement to several embassies for the sale of a used BMW 5 Series sedan in Kyiv.

A Polish diplomat confirmed the incident to Reuters but preferred to remain anonymous for security reasons. The announcement fell into the hands of the APT29 hacker group, also known as Cozy Bear, which the US and British authorities consider to be a tool of the Russian intelligence service of the Foreign Intelligence Service. More recently, Poland has accused it of campaigning against NATO, the European Union and Africa.

The blue link that appeared in the fake ad led to malware (Palo Alto Networks)

The hackers inserted a new file into the ad containing a “back door” through which malicious code could be installed on recipients’ computers. Palo Alto Networks researchers linked this digital trap to the Cozy Bear group, using methods and software tools. “Diplomatic missions will always be valuable spy targets,” the cybersecurity firm said. “16 months after the start of the Russian invasion, intelligence around Ukraine and allied diplomatic efforts is almost certainly a top priority for the Russian government.”

Reuters contacted 22 embassies in Kyiv but received no response. The agency also contacted the Polish diplomat who sent the original announcement, who said the price offered by the hackers – €7,500 – was less than what he had originally quoted. According to the diplomat, the BMW is still up for sale. “I’ll probably try to sell it in Poland,” he said. After what happened, I don’t want any more problems.

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