The Free Russia Foundation, a leading pro-democracy organization, is investigating a significant cyberattack following the leak of thousands of internal documents. On September 5, 2024, Telegram channel SOTA reported that over 2,500 email chains and more than 13GB of electronic documents from both the Free Russia Foundation and the US Russia Foundation had been published online. This leak includes sensitive correspondence and documents that detail the operations of these organizations.
The Free Russia Foundation, which was founded in 2014 by Russians in the United States and is currently led by Natalia Arno, has expressed serious concern over the breach. The organization is working to determine the full extent and origin of the breach, which it suspects is connected to recent cyberattacks attributed to the Kremlin-linked hacker group Coldriver. This group has been known for targeting entities critical of the Russian government.
In addition to the email and document leak, personal data of staff from a so-called “elf factory” in Tbilisi, Georgia, was also exposed. This factory reportedly pays individuals to post anti-Russian government content online. The Free Russia Foundation has indicated that this data could be used to target and repress pro-democracy activists and intensify the Kremlin’s crackdown on dissent.
The attack on the Free Russia Foundation comes as no surprise given the organization’s ongoing opposition to the Russian regime. In July 2024, the Russian Justice Ministry classified it as an extremist organization. Despite these challenges, the Free Russia Foundation remains committed to advocating for a free and democratic Russia and opposing the ongoing war in Ukraine. The organization continues to work closely with cybersecurity experts to strengthen its defenses and mitigate the impact of the breach.
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