vulnerability🌐InternationalSecurity Affairs
Russian state hackers targeted Western critical infrastructure for years, Amazon says
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
What
Russian state-sponsored hackers conducted a years-long campaign against Western critical infrastructure, evolving their tactics from exploiting vulnerabilities to abusing misconfigured network devices for credential harvesting and persistent access.
Where
Targets included energy providers and critical infrastructure across North America, Europe, and the Middle East.
When
The campaign spanned from 2021 to 2025.
Key Factors
- •Shift from exploiting vulnerabilities to abusing misconfigured network edge devices.
- •Targets included routers, VPNs, and cloud services, particularly in the energy sector.
- •Persistent access was maintained through credential harvesting and replay attacks.
Takeaways
- →Organizations must prioritize the secure configuration of network devices to prevent exploitation.
- →The shift in tactics indicates a need for adaptive security measures against evolving threats.
- →Regular audits and monitoring of network configurations are essential to mitigate risks.
