Security News > 2022 > March > Cybercrooks’ Political In-Fighting Threatens the West

"Pro-Ukrainian actors are refusing to sell, buy, or collaborate with Russian-aligned actors, and are increasingly attempting to target Russian entities in support of Ukraine," wrote researchers from Accenture's Cyber Threat Intelligence.

The conflict "Has led some actors to exclusively sell their services, such as network accesses, to pro-Russian actors," researchers wrote, and inspired increased attacks against Western targets.

"The primary effect of this political divide so far," the researchers observed, "Is an increased and prolonged threat from underground actors aimed at Western targets, owed to the galvanization of pro-Russian actors and their targeted efforts that focus on 'enemies of Russia.'".

"While ransomware actors did not disappear from the underground," wrote the researchers, "The ban did make it harder for them to acquire tools, recruit affiliates, or gain exploits or accesses, thereby reducing ransomware actors' abilities to scale their operations."

Now, "Many underground actors call for the return of ransomware groups to the mainstream underground."

The consequence of bringing ransomware groups back into the fold "Would not only enable those actors to target Western organizations more efficiently but also embolden them, as other underground actors would likely herald ransomware actors' return and give those ransomware actors perceived moral reason to conduct attacks," the report concluded.

News URL

https://threatpost.com/cybercrooks-political-in-fighting-threatens-the-west/178899/