The following article by Jacqueline Thomsen was posted on the Hill website August 22, 2018:
Credit: thinkstock
Microsoft’s revelation that Russia-linked hackers targeted conservative groups is raising flags about who the Kremlin has in its crosshairs ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.
The majority of previously disclosed cyberattacks linked to Moscow have targeted Democrats, but the latest false sites, apparently created by the hacking group known as “Fancy Bear,” were aimed at conservative think tanks publicly critical of Russia — a sign that the group could be expanding its attacks to go after any potential enemies in the U.S.
While Microsoft noted that it lacked “evidence to indicate the identity of the ultimate targets of any planned attack involving these domains,” experts said the revelations serve as a reminder that Democrats aren’t the only ones susceptible to attacks, particularly as prominent Republicans escalate their criticisms of Russia and President Vladimir Putin.