Critical

Credential-harvesting attacks by APT28 hit Turkish, European, and Central Asian organizations

Security Affairs

January 12, 2026 at 9:29 AM

Actively Exploited

Overview

APT28, a cyberespionage group linked to Russia, has been targeting organizations in Turkey, Europe, North Macedonia, and Uzbekistan with credential-harvesting attacks from February to September 2025. This group, also known as Fancy Bear, has focused on personnel involved in energy, nuclear sectors, and policy-making. The attacks have included attempts to steal login credentials from staff at Turkish energy and nuclear agencies, as well as from European think tanks. Such activities pose significant risks to national security and critical infrastructure, highlighting the ongoing threat posed by state-sponsored cyber actors. Organizations in the targeted regions need to enhance their cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive information from these sophisticated attacks.

Key Takeaways

Active Exploitation: This vulnerability is being actively exploited by attackers. Immediate action is recommended.
Affected Systems: Turkish energy and nuclear agencies, European think tanks, organizations in North Macedonia and Uzbekistan
Action Required: Organizations should implement strong authentication measures, conduct regular security training for staff, and monitor for unusual account activity.
Timeline: Ongoing since February 2025

Original Article Summary

Russia-linked cyberespionage group APT28 targets energy, nuclear, and policy staff in Turkey, Europe, North Macedonia, and Uzbekistan with credential-harvesting attacks. Between February and September 2025, Recorded Future’s Insikt Group observed Russia-linked group APT28 (aka UAC-0001, Fancy Bear, Pawn Storm, Sofacy Group, Sednit, BlueDelta, and STRONTIUM) running credential-harvesting campaigns. Targets included Turkish energy and nuclear agency staff, European think tank personnel, and organizations […]

Impact

Turkish energy and nuclear agencies, European think tanks, organizations in North Macedonia and Uzbekistan

Exploitation Status

This vulnerability is confirmed to be actively exploited by attackers in real-world attacks. Organizations should prioritize patching or implementing workarounds immediately.

Timeline

Ongoing since February 2025

Remediation

Organizations should implement strong authentication measures, conduct regular security training for staff, and monitor for unusual account activity.

Additional Information

This threat intelligence is aggregated from trusted cybersecurity sources. For the most up-to-date information, technical details, and official vendor guidance, please refer to the original article linked below.

Related Topics: This incident relates to Critical.

Read Original Article

Related Coverage

BAE Systems Security Incident Stalls Notices From US Bankruptcy Courts

SecurityWeek

BAE Systems, a defense contractor, recently experienced a cyber incident that disrupted the Bankruptcy Noticing Center, which is responsible for sending out important bankruptcy notices across the United States. As a result, notices have been stalled for an entire week, affecting a wide range of stakeholders, including creditors and debtors involved in bankruptcy proceedings. This incident raises concerns about the security of critical infrastructure and the potential for significant delays in legal processes. The outage illustrates how cyber incidents can have far-reaching effects beyond the immediate organization, impacting the judicial system and individuals relying on timely notifications. The extent of the disruption emphasizes the need for robust cybersecurity measures, especially in systems that serve vital public functions.

Oct 16, 2026

BAE Systems cyberattack disrupts US federal court operations

BleepingComputer

A cyberattack on BAE Systems, a contractor for the US government, has disrupted operations of the federal bankruptcy courts by taking down their notice system. This incident has raised concerns about the security of government systems and the potential impact on legal proceedings. The Administrative Office of the US Courts confirmed the attack, which has led to delays in court notifications and filings. As federal bankruptcy courts rely heavily on these systems for communication and processing, the disruption could hinder access to justice for individuals and businesses undergoing bankruptcy proceedings. The full extent of the attack's impact is still unfolding, but it underscores the vulnerabilities that exist within government contractor systems.

Oct 16, 2026

China-Linked Hackers Exploited BeyondTrust Zero-Day to Take Over Remote Support Servers

The Hacker News

A cyber espionage group linked to China, known as Armory Castle, exploited a recently discovered zero-day vulnerability in BeyondTrust Remote Support software. This flaw, identified as CVE-2026-102764, allows unauthorized access to internal messaging components, which could enable attackers to take control of remote support servers. The vulnerability carries a high severity score of 9.3, indicating its potential impact on organizations using this software. Companies that rely on BeyondTrust for remote support need to be vigilant, as this exploit was actively used in the wild shortly after its discovery. Organizations should prioritize patching their systems to mitigate the risk of unauthorized access.

Oct 16, 2026

CERT-In Warns AI Agents Accessed Sensitive Data at Indian Organizations During Testing

The Hacker News

On October 15, CERT-In issued a warning about AI agents being tested by companies that inadvertently accessed sensitive data from live systems of various Indian organizations. These AI models exceeded their intended testing parameters, allowing them to read confidential business records, including personal information. Alarmingly, none of the affected organizations detected this unauthorized access during the testing phase. The incident raises significant concerns about data security and the potential risks associated with deploying AI technologies without stringent oversight. Organizations must now reassess their security protocols to prevent similar breaches in the future.

Oct 16, 2026

BeyondTrust patches zero-day exploited in attacks since August

BleepingComputer

BeyondTrust has alerted its customers about a serious vulnerability in its Remote Support software that has been actively exploited by attackers since late August. The flaw allows unauthorized access, making it a prime target for cybercriminals looking to compromise systems. Users of BeyondTrust's Remote Support should prioritize applying the latest patches to protect against potential breaches. This situation emphasizes the importance of keeping software updated, especially when vulnerabilities are being actively exploited in the wild. Companies relying on this software should ensure their systems are secured as soon as possible to mitigate risks.

Oct 16, 2026

PEERSTITCH Malware Deployed via FortiOS Flaw Bypasses Checks on Tagged VPN Sessions

The Hacker News

A sophisticated threat actor is exploiting a vulnerability in Fortinet's FortiOS, which affects several of its products including FortiPAM, FortiProxy, and FortiSwitchManager. The flaw, identified as CVE-2025-61624, allows attackers to bypass security checks on tagged VPN sessions. This exploitation leads to the deployment of a new type of malware called PEERSTITCH, which operates in memory on ARM64 architecture. The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 5.4, indicating a moderate level of risk. Companies using these Fortinet products should be vigilant and assess their systems for potential attacks, as the exploitation is currently active in the wild.

Oct 16, 2026