Particle.news
Download on the App Store
4 ARTICLES
·
yesterday

Dutch agencies identify Russian ‘Laundry Bear’ hackers behind police and NATO breaches

Dutch intelligence agencies released a detailed analysis of Laundry Bear’s alleged Kremlin-backed cyber espionage on military supply data to bolster Western defenses.

A man holds a laptop computer as cyber code is projected on him in this illustration picture taken on May 13, 2017. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo
FILE - Erik Akerboom, director-general of the Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service, AIVD, attends a press conference in Zoetermeer, Netherlands, Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)

Overview

  • Laundry Bear was confirmed as the group behind last year’s cyberattacks on Dutch police networks, NATO and several European institutions.
  • Dutch General Intelligence Agency and MIVD concluded the hackers operate with Kremlin support to steal sensitive data from EU and NATO member states.
  • A September 2024 breach exploited a pass-the-cookie technique to access the Dutch police Global Address List and harvest officers’ contact details.
  • Investigators found the group chiefly targeted information on Western military procurement and arms shipments to Ukraine.
  • Alongside attribution, the agencies issued a technical advisory detailing Laundry Bear’s methods to help governments and companies strengthen cyber defenses.