Reuters: Russia-linked APT behind Brexit leak website

Russia-linked threat actors are behind a new website that published leaked emails from leading proponents of Britain’s exit from the EU, the Reuters reported.

According to a Google cybersecurity official and the former head of UK foreign intelligence, the “Very English Coop d’Etat” website was set up to publish private emails from Brexit supporters, including former British MI6 chief Richard Dearlove, leading Brexit campaigner Gisela Stuart, and historian Robert Tombs.

According to Reuters, at least victims of the leak confirmed the authenticity of the messages and revealed they were targeted by Russia-linked hackers.

Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) chief Shane Huntley told Reuters was set up by a Russia-linked APT dubbed “Cold River“

At this time it is unclear how the website has obtained the sensitive emails, Reuters pointed out that most of the messages mainly appear to have been exchanged using ProtonMail accounts.

“The “English Coop” site makes a variety of allegations, including one that Dearlove was at the center of a conspiracy by Brexit hardliners to oust former British Prime Minister Theresa May, who had negotiated a withdrawal agreement with the European Union in early 2019, and replace her with Johnson, who took a more uncompromising position.” reported the Reuters. “Dearlove said that the emails captured a “legitimate lobbying exercise which, seen through this antagonistic optic, is now subject to distortion.””

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Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – hacking, Brexit)