French authorities have accused Russia of orchestrating numerous high-profile cyber attacks against French entities over the past decade, employing tactics that mirrored their interventions in U.S. politics. The attacks were tied to APT28, a Russian intelligence hacking group, which sought to destabilize France and manipulate public opinion through events like the 'Macron leaks' and a fake ISIS takeover of a TV broadcast. France's Foreign Ministry noted a worrying escalation in these cyber intrusions since 2021, indicating a broader threat to EU member states and demonstrating a shift in France's diplomatic stance.
According to the French government, the GRU has escalated its cyberattacks against France and other members of the European Union since 2021, shortly before Russia invaded Ukraine.
The incidents include everything from a faked Islamic State takeover of a French television broadcast signal in 2015 to the leak of President Emmanuel Macron's emails in 2017.
APT28's activities in France followed the same playbook: the 'Macron leaks' were published the day before France's presidential election in the hopes of swaying voters.
This is the first time France has publicly attributed a cyber attack to a foreign government's intelligence service, according to Le Monde.
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