Hackers target Macron
French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron's political campaign was targeted by a group of Russian hackers last month, according to a report by a cybersecurity research group yesterday.
The Pawn Storm group, which has been linked to several high-profile attacks in the West, used "phishing" techniques to try to steal personal data from Macron and members of his En Marche! campaign, Japan-based Trend Micro said.
Pawn Storm, also known as APT28, is also believed to be behind the attacks last summer on the US Democratic National Committee, thought to be aimed at undermining Hillary Clinton's presidential bid.
It is widely suspected of having links to Russia's security services, and Moscow has been seen as a keen backer of Macron's rival in the presidential race Marine Le Pen, who met President Vladimir Putin in a surprise visit to Moscow ahead of the vote.
"There is always some technical uncertainty when it comes to attribution," Loic Guezo, a strategist for Southern Europe at Trend Micro, told AFP.
"But we have analysed the operating tactics with data compiled over two years, which allowed us to determine the source."
Other suspected Pawn Storm targets in recent months include media groups such as The New York Times and Al-Jazeera.
Several political officials and government agencies also see the group behind sophisticated attacks, including ones targeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party, government ministries in Denmark and the Czech Republic, and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
"To focus on such a range of targets over such a long time, you need plenty of human and financial resources," Guezo said.
But on Monday, Russia denied any involvement in the French election. "Which groups? Where do they come from? Why Russia?" Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
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