The Sandworm, a group of hackers active in Ukraine and linked to Russian intelligence services, is poised to become a significant global threat, Mandiant, a Google subsidiary, warned. Hackers target locations around the world considered political, military, or economic hotspots for Russian interests.
Sandworm has repeatedly targeted Western electoral institutions, including those of current and future NATO member countries, according to Mandiant's report. Five years ago, a dozen Russian military intelligence officers were indicted in the United States on charges stemming from their alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. In 2022, Ukraine announced that it had foiled a Russian cyberattack carried out by Sandworm, targeting one of its largest energy installations.