Russian Hackers Lure Diplomats in Ukraine with Cheap BMW Ad

Russian hackers, believed to be working for Russia's foreign intelligence agency, targeted diplomats in nearly two dozen embassies in Ukraine by intercepting and editing a legitimate flyer advertising a used BMW for sale in Kyiv. The hackers embedded malicious software in the flyer and emailed it to other diplomats, attempting to gain remote access to their computers. The scheme, uncovered by cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks, reached at least 22 of the 80 foreign missions in Ukraine's capital. The hacking group, known as APT29, has been linked to Russia's SVR foreign intelligence agency. The extent of the impact is unclear, but the U.S. State Department stated that its systems were not affected.