The United States government is offering up to a $10 million reward for any information that leads to the identification of five Russian military intelligence officers involved in significant cyberattacks.
According to a recent announcement, the group is part of Russia's infamous Unit 29155 and has been linked to malicious activities targeting critical infrastructure in the United States and other allies.
The reward, issued through the Rewards for Justice program, aims to reduce the ongoing cyber threats posed by hackers working under the GRU's command.
The individuals involved are Vladislav Borovkov, Denis Igorevich Denisenko, Yuriy Denisov, Dmitriy Yuryevich Goloshubov, and Nikolay Aleksandrovich Korchagin.
These GRU officers were heavily involved in the deployment of the WhisperGate malware, which infected Ukraine's government systems shortly before Russia's February 2022 invasion.
Their actions harmed critical infrastructure not only in Ukraine but also in other Western countries.
According to investigators, their operations scanned for vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure in the United States, with a focus on energy, aerospace, and government networks.
Unit 29155 is notorious for its involvement in state-sponsored cyber sabotage.
The GRU hackers under its command have played critical roles in numerous cyber incursions aimed at destabilizing national infrastructures, with the goal of advancing Russian strategic objectives.
These five individuals are dangerous, and their actions have shown a blatant disregard for international norms,” a US government official stated, adding that their tactics include scanning and mapping vulnerable networks in order to exploit them.
Investigations reveal a coordinated effort to target systems in the United States' energy sector, raising concerns about critical infrastructure security.
The GRU's WhisperGate malware, which the unit used in Ukraine, was an important part of the cyber strategy that preceded the physical invasion.
This destructive software was designed to compromise critical systems, disrupt operations, and cause long-term damage.
WhisperGate's effectiveness in Ukraine demonstrated that similar tactics could be easily deployed on US infrastructure, with the goal of causing widespread disruptions in critical services such as power and communications.
Anyone with information about these cybercriminals, their operations, or their whereabouts should contact the Rewards for Justice program.
To ensure confidentiality, tips can be submitted via Tor-based channels (See announcement). Informants who provide leads on Borovkov, Denisenko, Denisov, Goloshubov, or Korchagin could help prevent future attacks while earning a large reward.