Russia-linked Fancy Bear is in the news for cyberattacks tied to Europe: Sweden heating plant hit, global router targeting, and Germany accusing Moscow. APT28/Sofacy, active since 2000s, tied to Kremlin-linked espionage.
Researchers identified a campaign where Russian-backed group APT28 hijacked 18,000 to 40,000 consumer routers across 120 countries. The group exploited unpatched devices to spy, intercept credentials, and redirect traffic, raising concerns about widespread vulnerabilities and national security risks.
Russia has been linked to over 150 cyber and sabotage incidents across Europe since February 2022. Recent attacks include a failed attempt on a Swedish heating plant and previous operations on Polish power grids, water utilities, and Latvian railway infrastructure. Western officials warn these actions aim to undermine support for Ukraine and spread discord.