articleWASHINGTON – The FBI is warning that Russian government-backed hackers are exploiting outdated networking devices to target computer systems tied to U.S. critical infrastructure.
Warning for Cisco device users
What we know:
The FBI said cyber actors linked to Russia’s Federal Security Service, known as FSB Center 16, have been detected exploiting Simple Network Management Protocols and vulnerabilities in end-of-life Cisco devices. The group has collected configuration files for thousands of networking devices belonging to U.S. entities, in some cases modifying them to enable unauthorized access.
According to the FBI, the hackers then used that access to conduct reconnaissance on victim networks, showing an interest in protocols and applications connected to industrial control systems.
What is ‘Berserk Bear’ or ‘Dragonfly’?
The backstory:
The unit behind the campaign is referred to by cybersecurity researchers as “Berserk Bear” or “Dragonfly,” names that represent related activity clusters. For more than a decade, the group has compromised devices worldwide, often targeting equipment running unencrypted protocols such as SNMP versions 1 and 2. The unit has also deployed custom malware, including “SYNful Knock,” which was first identified in 2015.
The FBI and its partners have previously published guidance, including an April 2018 alert on Russian state-sponsored actors and a May 2025 joint advisory on reducing threats to operational technology. Cisco Talos also published an analysis on August 20 that referred to the group as “Static Tundra.”
$10M reward for Russian hackers
What you can do:
Authorities are urging anyone who suspects their devices have been targeted to evaluate routers and networking equipment for unauthorized configuration changes or malware before filing a report. Tips can be submitted to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
The U.S. State Department is also offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification of FSB hacker Marat Valeryevich Tyukov.
The Source: The Federal Bureau of Investigation provided the details for this article.
