Fake web sites linked to Russian government sponsored hackers were discovered and disabled by Microsoft last week, the company said. The fake sites mimicked pages of two conservative think tanks, the U.S. Senate, and Microsoft’s Office online suite.
In a blog post, Microsoft said it’s digital crimes unit (DCU), established to combat phishing schemes, used a court order to take control of six internet domains from the group called Strontium, Fancy Bear, and APT28, all associated with the Russian government.
The sites imitated those of The International Republican Institute and The Hudson Institute, conservative think tanks that have been critical of the Russian government. Users directed to the fake sites were asked to enter their names and passwords. Such sites often inject malware onto a user’s computer.
Microsoft said their was no evidence any of the sites were used for successful attacks, Microsoft said.
