U.S. Justice Department: We Have Disrupted a Cyber Piracy Network for Russian Intelligence

The U.S. Department of Justice announced today, Thursday, that it has dismantled a cyber piracy network tied to Russian intelligence. Lisa Monaco, Deputy Attorney General, stated in a press release, "For the second time in two months, we have prevented state-sponsored hackers from carrying out cyber attacks under the guise of vulnerable American internet routers." The Department of Justice reported that an operation approved by the courts in January 2024 halted the activity of a network that included hundreds of routers in small offices and homes controlled by Russian intelligence, which were used "to conceal a variety of crimes and sometimes to carry them out." U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said, "In this case, Russian intelligence turned to criminal groups to help target routers in homes and offices, but the Department of Justice thwarted their plan." Garland added that the Department of Justice is working to accelerate efforts to disrupt the Russian government's cyber campaigns against the United States and its partners, particularly Ukraine.