Security researchers from Cisco’s cyber intelligence unit Talos have warned that Russian hackers have infected over 500,000 routers with a sophisticated malware and have plans to launch a cyber attack on Ukraine.

According to the researchers, Russian hackers have used a sophisticated malware called “VPNFilter” to infect over 500,000 routers and network devices in at least 54 countries. The malware can be used for spying, “intelligence gathering, theft of valuable information, destructive or disruptive attacks, and the misattribution of such activities.”

The company’s cyber intelligence unit said it has “high confidence” the Russian government is behind the software “VPN Filter,” as the latest hack shares some of the code used in previous Russian cyberattacks.

“The code of this malware overlaps with versions of the BlackEnergy malware—which was responsible for multiple large-scale attacks that targeted devices in Ukraine,” the unit said in a blog post. “While this isn’t definitive by any means, we have also observed VPNFilter, a potentially destructive malware, actively infecting Ukrainian hosts at an alarming rate, utilizing a command and control (C2) infrastructure dedicated to that country.”

Over the last several months, researchers have been investigating into VPNFilter, which included both law enforcement and private-sector intelligence partners. “We have not completed our research, but recent events have convinced us that the correct way forward is to now share our findings so that affected parties can take the appropriate action to defend themselves,” researchers wrote in a Wednesday post.

The malware can stop internet access for all devices connected to the............continue reading