skip to contentAdvertisementThe analysis confirms for the first time that Russia's Federal Security Service, also known as the FSB, is conducting cyber espionage at the ISP level, according to findings from Microsoft Threat Intelligence.By: Reuters Jul 31, 2025 22:45 IST First published on: Jul 31, 2025 at 22:45 ISTJoinShare ShareWhatsapptwitterFacebookThe analysis confirms for the first time that Russia's Federal Security Service, also known as the FSB, is conducting cyber espionage at the ISP level, according to findings from Microsoft Threat Intelligence. (File Photo)One of the Russian government’s premier cyber espionage units is deploying malware against embassies and diplomatic organizations in Moscow by leveraging local internet service providers, Microsoft said on Thursday.The analysis confirms for the first time that Russia’s Federal Security Service, also known as the FSB, is conducting cyber espionage at the ISP level, according to findings from Microsoft Threat Intelligence.“Microsoft is now certain that this activity is happening within Russian borders,” Microsoft’s director of Threat Intelligence Strategy, Sherrod DeGrippo, told Reuters. Microsoft’s findings come amid increasing pressure from Washington for Moscow to agree to a ceasefire in its war in Ukraine and pledges from NATO countries to increase defense spending surrounding their own concerns about Russia.The analysis tracks an FSB cyber espionage campaign that in February targeted unnamed foreign embassies in Moscow. The FSB activity facilitates the installation of custom backdoors on targeted computers, which can be used to install additional malware as well as steal data.Reuters could not determine which embassies were targeted. The U.S. State Department did not respond to a request for comment.Russian diplomats did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Moscow routinely denies carrying out cyber espionage operations. The hacking unit linked to the activity, which Microsoft tracks as “Secret Blizzard” and others categorize as “Turla,” has been hacking governments, journalists and others for nearly 20 years, the U.S. government said in May 2023 after the FBI disrupted one of its long-running operations.AdvertisementAdvertisementYou May LikeSubscribeSign InJournalism of CourageTop CategoriesLATEST STORIESI am the senior most MLA, I have to oversee all of Haryana: VijLudhiana teacher suspended for ‘smoking’ in class, performing ‘black magic’Malegaon blast verdict: Ex-judge calls acquittal ‘death of justice’, AIMIM state chief says state should appeal against verdict in SCTrump sets August 8 deadline for Ukraine-Russia peace deal, US tells UNPune ‘drug party’: 5 held sent to judicial custody; Accused communicated over Instagram, say cops‘I’ve actually cut up the covers and made a wall out of them’: Inside Parineeti Chopra’s sea-facing Mumbai home, where she lived before getting marriedMacau Open Badminton: Leaner, meaner, and stronger, Tharun Mannepalli knocks out top seed‘Manik Sarkar tried his best to defame state govt’: Tripura CM Manik Saha reacts to ex-CM’s allegations of feud between allies BJP, Tipra MothaFaced allegations of disproportionate assets in past: Court orders inquiry over cop in Malegaon probe accused of ‘planting evidence’‘The umpire should not have done that’: Sanjay Bangar reacts to Kumar Dharmasena’s inside edge signal row during Oval TestSurat shocker: Teacher allegedly kills children, then dies by suicideMaharashtra deputy CM Shinde visits Delhi, meets Shiv Sena MPs and senior Union MinistersDays after revocation of suspension, former Bengaluru police chief B Dayananda to head prisonsDU’s Ramjas College shuts hostels over safety issues, student groups protestDyCM directs Mumbai Municipal Commissioner to not increase road restoration fee for Ganesh mandapsAI generating inaccurate information related to Sikh history, Gurbani: SGPC