Microsoft and the US Justice Department have seized over 100 domains used by Russian state-sponsored hackers to launch phishing attacks aimed at stealing sensitive information.
The Russian group, called “Star Blizzard,” used fake email addresses to target US Department of Defense officials, military contractors, and various high-value entities, including journalists and NGOs.
The seized domains, such as “waylogintexas.com” and “govdoorsec,” were part of a large-scale scheme to impersonate trusted contacts and trick victims into giving up passwords or installing malware. Microsoft said Star Blizzard has been attacking at least one customer per week since January 2023.
The operation is seen as a critical move to disrupt foreign interference in US democratic processes. Authorities stress that while new infrastructure may be set up by the hackers, the actions taken will allow for faster disruption of future attacks.
