These were high-level members of a Center 16 operational unit. And they were designated as “Dragonfly,” “Berzerk Bear,” “Energetic Bear,” and “Crouching Yeti” by cybersecurity researchers.
Center 16 was able to compromise the business network of the Wolf Creek nuclear power plant in Kansas. They did not make it into the operational network of the system.
US and UK partnered in investigation
Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco said that “Russian state-sponsored hackers pose a serious and persistent threat to critical infrastructure both in the United States and around the world.”
“Although the criminal charges unsealed today reflect past activity, they make crystal clear the urgent ongoing need for American businesses to harden their defenses and remain vigilant. Alongside our partners here at home and abroad, the Department of Justice is committed to exposing and holding accountable state-sponsored hackers who threaten our critical infrastructure with cyber-attacks,” she added.
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre said that one of the attacks was launched at a petrochemical plant in Saudi Arabia with malware “designed specifically to target the planet’s safety override.”
