Cyber Security Threat Summary:
Ukraine’s Cyber Police Department has dismantled another massive bot farm linked to more than 100 individuals after researching nearly two dozen locations. The bots were allegedly used to promote Russian propaganda, justifying Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The bots were also leveraged to spread illegal content and personal information and conduct other fraudulent activities. The latest operation was executed in various regions in Ukraine including Vinnytsia, Zaporizhzhia, and Lvivand, enabling cyber police units to seize computer equipment, mobile phones, 250 GSM gateways, and approximately 150,000 SIM cards of mobile operators.

“The cyber police established that the attackers used special equipment and software to register thousands of bot accounts in various social networks and subsequently launch advertisements that violated the norms and legislation of Ukraine…In addition to spreading hostile propaganda, the accounts were also used for unauthorized distribution of personal data of Ukrainian citizens on the Internet, in Internet fraud schemes, and for sending known false messages about threats to citizens' safety, destruction or damage to property,” stated Ukraine’s cyber police in a press release.

Security Officer Comments:
Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russian threat actors have launched several disinformation campaigns targeting Ukraine, investing in Ukraine-based bot farms. In response, Ukraine has worked diligently in taking down these operations. Prior to the latest taken down, in September 2022, the Ukrainian Security Service dismantled another bot farm spreading propaganda and disinformation across several messaging platforms and social networks. In August 2022, the Ukrainian cyber police dismantled yet another army of one million bots being used for similar purposes. Although Ukraine continues its efforts to take down these bot farms, with the war still ongoing, it won’t be long before new campaigns emerge.

Link(s):
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/