Lithuania said found Russian spyware on its government computers

DATE: 22/12/2016
SOURCE: REUTERS


The Baltic state of Lithuania, on the frontline of growing tensions between the West and Russia, says the Kremlin is responsible for cyber attacks that have hit government computers over the last two years.

The head of cyber security told Reuters three cases of Russian spyware on its government computers had been discovered since 2015, and there had been 20 attempts to infect them this year.

"The spyware we found was operating for at least half a year before it was detected – similar to how it was in the USA," Rimtautas Cerniauskas, head of the Lithuanian Cyber Security Centre said.

Fears of Russian cyber attacks have come to the fore since the U.S. election campaign when hacking of Democratic Party emails led to allegations from U.S. intelligence that Moscow was involved.

Lithuanian officials targeted by the Russian spyware held mid-to-low ranking positions at the government, but their computers contained a stream of drafts for government decisions of its positions on various matters, said Cerniauskas.

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