Russian officials charged in years-old energy sector hacks

By ERIC TUCKER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department says four Russian government officials have been charged in hacks that targeted critical global infrastructure including the U.S. energy and aviation sectors between 2012 and 2018. Officials said Thursday a Kansas nuclear power plant’s business network was compromised. Though the intrusions date back years, the indictments come as the FBI has raised fresh alarms about Russian hackers scanning the networks of energy firms in the U.S. for vulnerabilities that could be exploited amid Russia’s war against Ukraine. The four indicted Russians include an employee at a Russian Ministry of Defense research institute and three officials with Russia’s Federal Security Service, which conducts domestic intelligence and counterintelligence.