FBI and CISA warn that Russian intelligence is targeting messaging-app backup keys.
The FBI and CISA updated their warning about Russian intelligence services targeting commercial messaging applications. The agencies said the campaign targets current and former U.S. and international government officials, military personnel, political figures, journalists, and key officials in Ukraine. The attackers continue to pose as automated support accounts, but the updated tactic is to trick victims into giving up Backup Recovery Keys. If a victim provides that key, the attackers can access historical messages, private and group messages, and potentially take over the account. The agencies stressed that the messaging apps’ encryption or application infrastructure was not compromised; the risk comes from phishing and social engineering.