Joint Advisory: Russian state cyber actors’ global spear-phishing campaigns

New Zealand’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has issued a joint advisory highlighting Russian state cyber actors’ global spear-phishing campaigns, and providing information on the actors’ tactics, techniques and procedures.

The advisory has been issued in partnership with the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)(external link), US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)(external link), US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)(external link), US National Security Agency (NSA)(external link), US Cyber National Mission Force (CNMF)(external link), Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC)(external link), and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS)(external link).

This advisory, titled Russian FSB cyber actor Star Blizzard continues worldwide spear-phishing campaigns, details the Russia-based actor Star Blizzard (formerly known as SEABORGIUM, also known as Callisto Group/TA446/COLDRIVER/TAG-53/BlueCharlie) continuing to successfully use spear-phishing attacks against targeted organisations and individuals in the UK, and other geographical areas of interest, for information-gathering activity.

The authoring agencies assess that Star Blizzard is almost certainly subordinate to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) Centre 18. Industry has previously published details of Star Blizzard, and this advisory draws on that body of information. This advisory raises awareness of the spear-phishing techniques Star Blizzard uses to target individuals and organisations.

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