We have been seeing notable changes to TTPs used in GOOTLOADER operations since 2022.

The U.S. military's Cyber Command hunted down foreign adversaries overseas ahead of this year's mid-term elections, taking down their infrastructure before they could strike, the head of U.S. Cyber Command said. U.S. Army General Paul Nakasone said the cyber effort to secure the vote began before the Nov. 8 vote and carried through until the elections were certified. "We did conduct operations persistently to make sure that our foreign adversaries couldn't utilize infrastructure to impact us," Nakasone, who is also the director of the U.S. National Security Agency, told reporters.

This latest release documents further extensive evidence of the establishment by local PRC Public Security authorities of at least 102 “Chinese Overseas Police Service Centers” in 53 countries around the world and how some of them have been partaking in the execution of "persuasions to return" operations. Patrol and Persuade (PDF) also documents the (silent) complicity of a number of host countries, instilling a further sense of fear into targeted communities and severely undermining the international rules-based order .

TAG highlights four case studies involving Russian IO tied to the Internet Research Agency and Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin.

This report represents research conducted by Microsoft’s threat intelligence and data science teams with the goal of sharpening our understanding of the threat landscape in the ongoing war in Ukraine. The report also offers a series of lessons and conclusions resulting from the data gathered and analyzed. Notably, the report reveals new information about Russian efforts including an increase in network penetration and espionage activities amongst allied governments, non-profits and other organizations outside Ukraine. This report also unveils detail about sophisticated and widespread Russian foreign influence operations being used among other things, to undermine Western unity and bolster their war efforts. We are seeing these foreign influence operations enacted in force in a coordinated fashion along with the full range of cyber destructive and espionage campaigns. Finally, the report calls for a coordinated and comprehensive strategy to strengthen collective defenses – a task that will require the private sector, public sector, nonprofits and civil society to come together. The foreword of this new report, written by Microsoft President and Vice Chair Brad Smith, offers additional detail below.

This report represents research conducted by Microsoft’s threat intelligence and data science teams with the goal of sharpening our understanding of the threat landscape in the ongoing war in Ukraine. The report also offers a series of lessons and conclusions resulting from the data gathered and analyzed. Notably, the report reveals new information about Russian efforts including an increase in network penetration and espionage activities amongst allied governments, non-profits and other organizations outside Ukraine. This report also unveils detail about sophisticated and widespread Russian foreign influence operations being used among other things, to undermine Western unity and bolster their war efforts. We are seeing these foreign influence operations enacted in force in a coordinated fashion along with the full range of cyber destructive and espionage campaigns. Finally, the report calls for a coordinated and comprehensive strategy to strengthen collective defenses – a task that will require the private sector, public sector, nonprofits and civil society to come together. The foreword of this new report, written by Microsoft President and Vice Chair Brad Smith, offers additional detail below.

In an exclusive interview with Sky News, General Paul Nakasone confirmed for the first time that the US had "conducted a series of operations" in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In an exclusive interview with Sky News, General Paul Nakasone confirmed for the first time that the US had "conducted a series of operations" in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

New Mandiant research detailing the various IO activities seen by nation-state actors, resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

New Mandiant research detailing the various IO activities seen by nation-state actors, resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.