Germany points finger at Fancy Bear for widespread 2023 hacks, DDoS attacks

It was just around a year ago that a spate of allegedly Russian-orchestrated cyberattacks hit government agencies in Germany, and now German officials claim to know for a fact who did it: APT28, or Fancy Bear, a Russian threat actor linked to the GRU intelligence service. According to German officials, Fancy Bear was behind …

[Will Godfrey]

They did not listen

They are not listening still.

Perhaps they never will.

This is across the board, domestic, commercial, industrial. In some cases the message simply isn't reaching people. Some others have so little finance they simply can't afford to make changes. The C-suits don't care, as soon as the profits fail, they'll just move to something else.

[Jellied Eel]

Re: They never listen

This is across the board, domestic, commercial, industrial. In some cases the message simply isn't reaching people.

Hopefully it will, because our useless shower of shite politicians are still winnning friends and influencing people. Often in the wrong fashion. So I think it was around a year ago that Baerbock told a different news conference that Germany was at war with Russia. Cameron more recently said he's fine with British weapons being used against Russia, and of course Macron's busy trying to drum up support for other NATO member's boots on the ground in Ukraine.

So it's hardly suprising Russia is retailiating, but once again, Baerbock opens mouth and inserts foot-

"It was a state-sponsored Russian cyber attack on Germany, and this is absolutely intolerable and unacceptable and will have consequences," Baerbock told reporters at a news conference.

What's Germany going to do? Supply more weapons and intelligence to be used against Russia?

Of course our 'leaders' could do something slightly more useful. Like use the EU's muscle to force hardware and software vendors to take security more seriously. Or maybe provide more support and resources to businesses looking to tighten their security. Or even look at the legal standpoint of 'weaponised' hacking and if that could constitute a hostile action or not.

[Anonymous Coward]

Fancy Bear, est. 2007 (at least)

The activities of Fancy bear, aka Pawn Storm, aka Sofacy Group, aka Sednit, aka Tsar Team, aka STRONTIUM, aka Forest Blizzard. or more precisely GRU Unit 26165 have been recorded way before whatever you're talking about (src: FireEye, aka Mandiant). So, don't play victim, vatnik.

All their targets are the folks that scare Putin. See Wikipedia's looooong list of targets.

[Jellied Eel]

Re: Fancy Bear, est. 2007 (at least)

So, don't play victim, vatnik.

I'm guessing you didn't read the article. It's Germany playing the victim, fascist troll..

ps.. just in case you reach for the report button, you do realise that 'vatnik' is a racist slur, don't you?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Fancy Bear, est. 2007 (at least)

> you do realise that 'vatnik' is a racist slur, don't you?

Really? Which "race" is that? What's the haplotype?

Here's Wikipedia's definition: Vatnik (Russian: ватник, pronounced [ˈvatʲnʲɪk]) is a political pejorative used in Russia and other post-Soviet states for steadfast jingoistic followers of propaganda from the Russian government.. Don't you think you fit the description? No race involved, just common sense, or lack thereof. So, don't play victim, vatnik.

Also, Germany (and Czechia) were targeted by Putin's shady army. They don't "play" victim. They are victims. Now I hope you don't ask yourself why Russia's only allies are Iran and North Korea.

[Jellied Eel]

Re: Fancy Bear, est. 2007 (at least)

Here's Wikipedia's definition: Vatnik (Russian: ватник, pronounced [ˈvatʲnʲɪk]) is a political pejorative used in Russia and other post-Soviet states for steadfast jingoistic followers of propaganda from the Russian government.. Don't you think you fit the description? No race involved, just common sense, or lack thereof. So, don't play victim, vatnik.

Nope, and you of course repeat your racist slur. But that's sadly normal for racists. They often attempt to justify their illegal and abhorent behaviours and beliefs. But I'll take your wiki and raise you a legal definition from the UK's 1986 Public Order Act-

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1986/64/part/III/crossheading/meaning-of-racial-hatred

17 Meaning of “racial hatred”.

In this Part “racial hatred” means hatred against a group of persons . . . defined by reference to colour, race, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origins.

And you can follow the hyperlinks to the amendments and revisions at your leisure.. Which may be enforced given the offence was punishable by up to 7yrs in prison. The same could be prosecuted for calling Russians 'orcs', but for some reason we're giving billions to people who stir up racial hatred. UK legislation was also amended to better define religious offences. But Ukraine is strange like that as well-

https://www.yahoo.com/news/zelenskyy-orthodox-easter-god-wears-061131428.html

The world sees this, and God knows it. We believe that God wears a patch bearing the Ukrainian flag on his shoulder. So, with such an ally, life will definitely defeat death."

God is Ukrainian. Who knew? Also being Jewish, it should probably have been G-d or similar. Zelensky is Jewish, isn't he?

Also, Germany (and Czechia) were targeted by Putin's shady army. They don't "play" victim. They are victims.

Uhuh. Civilians in Belgorod were killed by 122mm missiles supplied by Czechia recently after being targeted by Zelensky's very shady army. So they were victims. If nations arm, supply and support people who kill Russian (and Ukrainian) people, why would you consider them 'victims'? It's like a bully crying victim when someone decides to retaliate and hit them back. But as usual, you are also projecting again. You use a racial slur that describes someone who blindly follows propaganda.. which obviously applies to yourself as well.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Fancy Bear, est. 2007 (at least)

Since when is vatnik a nationality? Not all vatniks are Russian and certainly not all Russians are vatniki. I know quite a few of them and they just can't stand Putin. the siloviki and the autocratic regime. Or do you have also a vatnik passport, maybe?

[Jellied Eel]

Re: Fancy Bear, est. 2007 (at least)

Since when is vatnik a nationality? Not all vatniks are Russian and certainly not all Russians are vatniki. I know quite a few of them and they just can't stand Putin. the siloviki and the autocratic regime.

Yet another (?) confused and casual racist hiding behind being an anonymong. But let's start with the definition of 'perjorative'-

adjective

expressing contempt or disapproval

So 'vatnik' started out as a variant of the Marx/Engels slur of 'lumpenproletariat', so not exactly an original slur. So the dumb peasents who are of low intelligence, pickled in vodka and will believe anything they're told. So your comment is a little confusing. If your friends can't stand Putin, or his 'regime', then they're obviously not 'vatniks'. But this kind of confusion is pretty normal with people who don't understand the meaning or context when words are used. So our own 'vatniks' (or NAFO-bots?) happily puke out words like 'vatnik', or phrases like 'slava Ukraine' without understanding their origins. Like Ukraine's OUN, which committed attrocities like the Volhyn Massacre while they were sided with the Nazis during WW2. It was basically their vesion of the Nazi's 'Heil Hitler' greeting, and the OUN shared many of the same philsophies, ie racist and ultra-nationalist. Which makes it sadly amusing when people who consider themselves on the left use a phrase that is very much far-right.

Or why our leaders are so committed to supporting that kind of regime. The reason others may blindy follow along and swallow our own propaganda is simply because we have many 'vatniks' of our own. Which is hardly suprising given the efforts made to demonise Russia, and Russians.

Or do you have also a vatnik passport, maybe?

And there you slide into more overt racism. A passport would imply nationality, no? You may also want to check those links from the Public Order Act to see how offences have been expanded into more general 'hate speech'.. which if 'vatnik' is used as a perjorative would obviously apply.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Fancy Bear, est. 2007 (at least)

Man. you really have reading comprehension issues. Read my post again. It's only two lines. That does not leave much room for confusion.

Also check the origin of "vatnik". Your story is total fantasy. The word comes from the padded cotton wool jacket ("ватник") depicted in the original vatnik meme.

[Jellied Eel]

Re: Fancy Bear, est. 2007 (at least)

Man. you really have reading comprehension issues.

Projecting again. You clearly have racism issues, along with possible misgendering. You have excellent trolling skills however.

Also check the origin of "vatnik".

Does it mean 'back peddling desperately'? It's still, as you pointed out a perjorative statement aimed at Russian, or supposedly pro-Russian people which includes a couple of negative racial stereotypes and is obviously hate speech by the way you keep throwing it around. And once again you're acting defensively, just as many racists do when they're called out for their behaviour. The 'n' word (not 'nazi) derives from the latin for black. The origins of a word don't make it any less offensive when it's thrown around by racist fascists like yourself.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Fancy Bear, est. 2007 (at least)

> pro-Russian people

Man, calm down and use your brain. I just told you I know a lot of Russians. Vatniks are not "pro-Russian people". They are pro-Russian-PROPAGANDA. Big difference. A lot of Russians, especially abroad, are very, very critical of their government's propaganda. They're both Russian AND anti-vatnik. Ponyal?

[Jellied Eel]

Re: Fancy Bear, est. 2007 (at least)

Vatniks are not "pro-Russian people". They are pro-Russian-PROPAGANDA.

So more back peddling. Vatnik started out as a derogatory, perjorative and racist term and you're using it in those ways. You've never been able to resist the ad-homs, especially when you're losing an argument, which you do repeatedly. You made the racist implications abundently clear when you just had to add your 'vatnik passport' comment given passports are intrinsically linked to identity.

A lot of Russians, especially abroad, are very, very critical of their government's propaganda.

Nothing unusual about that, eg Yolanda Navalny's making excellent money and a career out if it, and has help from her Bellendcat partner. I'm also very critical of our government and the way they regurgitate Ukrainian propaganda, or ignore other newsworthy stories like Ukraine culturally appropriating a deity. Normally, a President claiming visions of God would be newsworthy, but normally for all the wrong reasons. Zelensky is not the messiah, he's a delusional 2-bit comedian. As for other Russian's abroad, here's a dose of paranoia-

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68968256

The Ukrainian security service (SBU) says it has foiled a Russian plot to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky and other high-ranking Ukrainian officials.

Two Ukrainian government protection unit colonels have been arrested.

There's a running joke in Ukraine (and beyond) that the safest place to be in Ukraine is standing next to Zelensky. After another alleged 'assassination' attempt when Russia twatted a bunch of naval officers he'd just visited, Russia posted drone footage of him and his entourage. If Russia wanted him dead, he'd be dead and in that Odessa attack, they obviously waited until he cleared the area. Then again, he has demanded Trump visit him in Kiev, in which case the temptation to martyr both would probably be too strong. But when Zelensky dies, it's unlikely to be Russia pulling the trigger. He's such a joke, so inept and such a great source of memes that he's best left in power. But his usefulness probably also expires this month when his Presidential term expires.

But it's still useful to vomit out propaganda like this given the bizarre upcoming 'peace' conference in Switzerland, where one of the beligerents hasn't been invited.

But back to the story. Why do you think it's wrong for Russia to be using unconventional and legally murky methods to 'attack' Germany, given the political, economic and proxy miltary warfare Germany is waging against Russia? Why is anyone suprised that Russia's intelligence services are conducting espionage against an openly hostile country? That's what intelligence services are supposed to do, and Germany also caught the US hacking their systems a few years ago? Something that prompted them to move away from easily compromised systems like MS..

[Anonymous Coward]

Waco TX

Racist is about ethnicity or citizenship. Vatnik is neither. So, keep your accusations of "racism" for yourself. Do you have a vatnik passport?

And you're still wondering why Assange did not want to make friend with you?

[Jellied Eel]

Re: Waco Presidents

So, keep your accusations of "racism" for yourself.

If you keep using racist pejoratives, I'll keep calling you out as a racist. Interesting you chose to link Zelensky and Koresh though.

Do you have a vatnik passport?

Again, why are you pretending you're not a racist and asking about a national identity document? One is British though, but unlike you, I don't blindly swallow our official propaganda.. You do, making you much more like a 'vatnik'.

Also why no snarky answer to my question about Germany and intelligence agencies conducting espionage against their enemies? Isn't that what we pay them for?

And you're still wondering why Assange did not want to make friend(sic) with you?

Why would you ever think I'd want to be friends with an alleged rapist? People who suffer from NPD don't make very good friends, and I almost certainly wouldn't want to be your friend either, and I doubt many others would either.

[Anonymous Coward]

Dr Sigmund

> I almost certainly wouldn't want to be your friend either,

I tend to keep my relations with my patients purely on a professional level.

[Anonymous Coward]

Microsoft getting serious about security

What a load of rollocks. They've proved over decades that they can't code secure software, they don't give a sh1t about anything except the bottom line; secure by design is an irrevelance.

[TimMaher]

Re: Warning: Water systems hacks are trickling down

So that explains Thames Water then.

Mine’s the one with the sulphur candle in the pocket

[Claptrap314]

Oooooooh!

""'t was a state-sponsored Russian cyber attack on Germany, and this is absolutely intolerable and unacceptable and will have consequences,' Baerbock told reporters at a news conference. "

Shut off Nord Stream or shut up.

German's willingness to play footsie with various kinds of terrorists has been an embarrassment to the West for decades.