France has officially accused Russia's military intelligence service (GRU) of orchestrating multiple cyberattacks against French organizations over the past decade through its hacking group known as APT28 or Fancy Bear.
The French Foreign Ministry revealed that since 2021, APT28 has targeted a dozen French entities across defense, financial, and economic sectors. Among the high-profile targets were President Emmanuel Macron's 2017 presidential campaign and an organization involved in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
During the 2017 presidential election, APT28 hackers leaked thousands of documents from Macron's campaign just 24 hours before the vote in what French authorities described as an attempt to manipulate voters. However, officials noted that this operation failed to significantly impact the electoral process.
The group's tactics typically involve targeting personal email accounts to steal data and gain broader system access. APT28 has been previously linked to numerous global cyber operations, including the notorious 2016 U.S. election interference where they allegedly leaked Democratic Party emails to aid Donald Trump's campaign.
Recent targets include public services, private enterprises, and Olympic Games-related organizations. The announcement comes after several international intelligence services, including Germany, warned about potential cyberattacks targeting NATO countries in September 2024.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot made this attribution public on social media platform X, marking France's first official acknowledgment of Russia's involvement in these cyber operations.
The French government has pledged to work with international partners to anticipate, discourage, and respond to Russian cyber activities targeting French interests.