DIGITAL LIFE

Russian Hackers Exploit Vulnerabilities to Target Firefox and Windows Users

A recently discovered cyberattack campaign orchestrated by a Russian-linked hacking group known as RomCom has exploited two previously unknown vulnerabilities to compromise systems on the Firefox browser and Windows.

These vulnerabilities, known as zero-day exploits, have been actively exploited by the group to target users in Europe and North America.

As TechCrunch notes, RomCom is known for carrying out cyberattacks and other online intrusions on behalf of the Russian government. Last month, they were linked to a ransomware attack against Casio.

The group is also known for its aggressive stance against organizations linked to Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia in 2022.

How Russian Hackers Accessed Firefox and Windows...The hackers employed a particularly dangerous technique known as a “zero-click exploit,” which allows them to remotely infect a victim’s device without any user interaction. This is achieved by tricking victims into visiting a malicious website, where the exploit silently installs a backdoor on the target system;

Once the backdoor is installed, attackers gain broad control over the compromised device, potentially stealing sensitive data, deploying ransomware or launching new attacks;

Security researchers at ESET, who discovered the attack, warned on Monday (25) that the sophistication of the attack highlights the growing threat posed by state-sponsored hacking groups;

“This level of sophistication demonstrates the threat actor’s ability and intent to develop stealthy attack methods,” ESET researchers Damien Schaeffer and Romain Dumont said;

Schaeffer told TechCrunch that the potential number of victims ranges from one to 250 people.

Although Mozilla and Microsoft have patched the vulnerabilities, users are advised to keep their software up to date and exercise caution when browsing the internet.

Firefox was updated on October 9, one day after Mozilla learned of the vulnerability. Microsoft patched the issue on November 12 after receiving feedback from the Google Threat Analysis Group, a group of security researchers who investigate government-backed cyberattacks and threats. The Tor Project, which develops the Tor browser, which is based on Firefox code, also patched the vulnerability. However, Schaeffer told TechCrunch that ESET found no evidence that the program was also a victim of the attack.

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