US Offers Up to $10 Million for Information on Russian State-Sponsored Hackers Targeting Signal and WhatsApp Users

The US State Department has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of members of two Russian hacker groups allegedly operating under state sponsorship. This move is part of an FBI investigation into a widespread phishing campaign targeting Signal and WhatsApp users, focusing on current and former US government officials, military personnel, politicians, and journalists.

According to US authorities, the attackers sent messages impersonating official support communications, urging victims to click links, enter verification codes, or provide account access codes. When victims complied, the hackers linked additional devices to the messaging accounts or took full control, sometimes locking the original users out. The FBI noted that attackers also tried to bypass Signal's security features by convincing victims to create account backups and share recovery keys, granting access to message histories.

The investigation attributes these cyberattacks to two groups known as UNC5792 and UNC4221. US sources indicate that UNC5792 is connected to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), while UNC4221 operates on behalf of Russian military intelligence. The reward is offered through the State Department's Rewards for Justice program, which incentivizes information sharing on threats to US national security.