Jeremy Corbyn Used Stolen Government Documents

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn unknowingly used government documents stolen by Russian hackers to claim that the NHS was "up for sale" in talks with the US. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has attributed the cyber attacks to hackers affiliated with the Russian FSB spy service.

Hackers "Subordinate" to FSB Identified

The NCSC has named the hackers responsible for the cyber attacks as Star Blizzard, who are believed to be "almost certainly subordinate" to a branch of the FSB. Other victims of the attacks include former MI6 spy chief Sir Richard Dearlove and SNP MP Stewart McDonald.

Attempts to Undermine Trust in Politics

The cyber attacks aimed to undermine trust in politics by hacking and leaking sensitive information. The attacks also targeted journalists, think tanks, academics, and charities. The hackers employed techniques such as spear-phishing to gain access to accounts and data.

International Response to Russian Meddling

Britain's allies in the "Five Eyes" intelligence alliance - Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States - have issued joint cyber warnings. These revelations are part of a pattern of Russian meddling, including cyber attacks and assassinations.

Previous Russian Operations

Russian hackers, including the Fancy Bear and Cozy Bear groups, have been implicated in various cyber attacks and espionage activities. These include hacking the US presidential campaign in 2016, attempting to steal Covid vaccines, and carrying out the Novichok nerve agent attack in Salisbury in 2018.

Arrests Made in the UK

Five Bulgarians have been arrested in the UK, accused of spying for Russia between August 2020 and February 2023.