Microsoft disables 90% of computer network used by Russian hacker group

 Aided by a series of U.S. court orders and relations with technology providers in other countries, Microsoft said its week-long campaign against the group that runs the Trickbot network will avoid a possible source of interference in the November 3 election. .


"We have destroyed a large part of its infrastructure," said Microsoft corporate vice president Tom Burt in an interview. "The group's ability to infect targets has been significantly reduced."


The hackers responsible for Trickbot infected more than 1 million personal computers, including many within local governments, according to cybersecurity professionals. They then make deals with other groups to install ransomware and other programs on infected machines, security professionals say.


Although there is no evidence that the group has worked with foreign governments, Burt said that Microsoft aimed to reduce the capacity of Trickbot before the election, should Russian spy agencies try to use it to interfere in the American vote or cast doubts. on the election results through data manipulation.

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Some security experts who saw little impact on Microsoft's initial efforts to combat Trickbot said this week that the new control servers brought online by the group were having access to the internet blocked, making it more difficult for the group to install new programs on infected computers. .


"Interrupt operations against Trickbot are currently global in nature and have been successful against Trickbot's infrastructure," said Intel 471 Chief Executive Mark Arena. "Despite this, there are still a small number of controllers working based in Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia and Kyrgyzstan who are still able to respond."


The Trickbot group is now asking others to install its software, Arena and others said, and it is hoped that they will be able to rebuild their infrastructure in other ways.


Burt said such efforts to adapt will at least reduce the group's ability to interfere in the US elections.

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