Cyber security company report assumes a group of Russian hackers is attempting to spoil presidential campaign in France, - NYT

Certain Russian hackers involved in the cyber attacks on Hillary Clinton and her team in summer and autumn 2016 are now apparently going for Emmanuel Macron, the leading candidate for French presidency. The New York Times reported that on April 25.

‘Security researchers at the cybersecurity firm, Trend Micro, said that on March 15 they spotted a hacking group they believe to be a Russian intelligence unit turn its weapons on Mr. Macron’s campaign — sending emails to campaign officials and others with links to fake websites designed to bait them into turning over passwords. The group began registering several decoy internet addresses last month and as recently as April 15, naming one onedrive-en-marche.fr and another mail-en-marche.fr to mimic the name of Mr. Macron’s political party, En Marche’, reads the NYT’s article.

These sites appeared to be registered to certain web addresses, belonging to a Russian intelligence unit – as Trend Micro put it. The U.S. and EU experts found out that these particular hackers were behind the

American and European intelligence agencies and American private security researchers determined that the group was responsible for hacking servers of the Democratic National Committee last year.

‘This winter, Emmanuel Macron campaign’s website also came under attack. The attacks coincided with highly slanted articles about Mr. Macron on the French language services of Sputnik and RT, formerly Russia Today. Both are state-funded Russian news media outlets,’ NY Times reported.

As 112 International reported, servers of the Macron's HQ were attacked by a group of Russian hackers.

Centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen led the first round of France's presidential election on April 23, qualifying for a second-round runoff, which is expected in two weeks.

Source: NY Times