Star Blizzard

Star Blizzard, also known as Seaborgium or the Callisto Group, is a threat actor linked to Russia's intelligence service, the FSB. The group has been involved in sophisticated cyber-attacks worldwide, primarily using spear-phishing campaigns to steal account credentials and data. Microsoft, which tracks this threat under the cluster name Star Blizzard, highlighted the gravity of the COLDRIVER credential theft situation, indicating an increase in the group's sophistication and evasion tactics. The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and Microsoft have issued warnings about this Russian state-backed actor's activities, which have targeted organizations globally, including universities, public sector organisations, and international charities. The group's operations are tied to Centre 18, a unit within Russia’s Intelligence Services FSB, and are known for their unusual mix of espionage, disinformation, and fake pharma campaigns. These tactics bear similarities with those employed by the Russia-aligned espionage group Callisto. In December 2023, the US government indicted the group, highlighting its targeting of individuals and organizations involved in international affairs, defense, and logistics support to Ukraine, among others. Star Blizzard's operations have expanded over the years to include strategic attacks on U.S. supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems and critical infrastructure, including the U.S. Department of Energy facilities. Given the severity of the threat posed by Star Blizzard, international cooperation is required for an effective response. The Cyber National Mission Force, along with the FBI, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and a cohort of international cyber authorities, published a joint cybersecurity advisory in December, warning about the group's advanced spear-phishing campaigns. The group uses open-source intelligence to perform reconnaissance against targets, customizing attacks for maximum effectiveness. With its recent focus on highly strategic and focused attacks, Star Blizzard represents a significant threat to global cybersecurity.