The FBI has issued an alert about a global hacking campaign by hackers linked to Russia that seeks unauthorized access to accounts of encrypted messaging apps, like Signal. This operation, confirmed by the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), affects thousands of high-profile users worldwide.
In a joint statement issued this Friday, the agencies detailed that the global campaign targets US officials, military personnel, and journalists, considered “high-value for intelligence”. The FBI director, Kash Patel, emphasized that cyber actors linked to Russian intelligence services have managed to breach numerous accounts, allowing them to read private messages, extract contact lists, and launch phishing attacks from trusted identities.
Global campaign exploits social engineering
The attackers do not break the end-to-end encryption of apps like Signal, but instead resort to social engineering tactics. They deceive victims into revealing credentials or installing malicious software. This global campaign has resulted in unauthorized access to thousands of individual accounts, according to the official report.
Strategies of hackers linked to Russia
- Sending fake messages that imitate known contacts.
- Verification code requests through impersonation.
- Exploiting human errors to evade technical protections.
Cybersecurity experts, such as those from the UK National Cyber Security Centre, have corroborated similar patterns in past operations attributed to Russia, recalling the SolarWinds cyberattack of 2020, which infiltrated US government agencies. FBI statistics indicate that social engineering breaches represent 74% of vulnerabilities in 2025.
Impact and recommendations before the global campaign
Victim profile and consequences
The global campaign compromises not only private communications but also sensitive operations. Journalists under threat face risks of disinformation, while military personnel could expose strategies.
”We have identified these cyber actors associated with Russian intelligence services,” declared Kash Patel.
Users must activate two-factor authentication, verify senders, and avoid suspicious clicks. The CISA urges reporting incidents. This global campaign highlights the persistent threat of hackers linked to Russia in the digital ecosystem, with precedents in 2016 election interference and 2022 Ukraine attacks. In a connected world, vigilance is key to countering these sophisticated operations.
