US exposes hackers’ helpers to punish Russian attacks

It’s likely that many of the details about the intelligence agencies’ support networks were classified until recently, but Lewis said the decision to release them was a result of an internal US government debate about how to impose stiff costs for what the US calls ‘malign behaviour’, including aggressive efforts to influence the outcome of US presidential elections in 2016 and 2020, the poisoning of Navalny, and the recent hack of US government agencies and private firms through software made by Texas-based SolarWinds Corp. — AFP

In punishing Russian hacks and election meddling, the Biden administration on Thursday revealed new details about Russian intelligence’s vast disinformation and cyber-operations, including the names of companies that allegedly help facilitate cyber-attacks and websites accused of spreading false claims to damage the US.

The information release is designed partly to damage Russian intelligence services by blowing the cover of its support network, including companies that provide essential services and, in one case, the location of a technology park near the Black Sea used by spies for Russian’s military intelligence directorate, the GRU.