Putin's Bears: Russia's Cyber Warfare Tactics
This source recounts the history of cyberattacks attributed to Russian intelligence agencies, metaphorically referred to as "Putin's bears," detailing their methods and targets. It begins by describing the 2015 Bundestag hack by "Fancy Bear," which stole a significant amount of data from the German Parliament, including Angela Merkel's office. The text then pivots to the 2016 U.S. presidential election, explaining how "Fancy Bear" and "Cozy Bear" interfered by hacking and leaking emails from the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton's campaign, aiming to destabilize the election. Finally, it highlights the 2022 Viasat satellite internet attack by "Voodoo Bear," perfectly timed with the invasion of Ukraine, demonstrating Russia's use of cyber warfare as a strategic tool, and emphasizes that these groups remain a threat to Western democracies.