Hacking groups that cybersecurity specialists associate with Russia may have exploited poorly secured industrial systems to disrupt businesses and infrastructure abroad, according to a Bloomberg investigation reported on October 28.
In Spain, Bloomberg reported disruptions at a crematorium in Alicante province, a transformer manufacturer in Catalonia where a fire broke out, and two wineries. In the Danish village of Tureby, interference with a water-supply control system left about 450 homes without water, while a subsequent pressure failure burst pipes. In the United States, the investigation described refrigeration disruptions at a meat-processing plant that led to spoiled products and an ammonia leak.
The investigation names the groups Cyber Army of Russia Reborn (CARR) and Z-Pentest. Western cybersecurity authorities and investigators have described their connections to Russian military structures, and participants in some incidents have faced criminal charges. The established facts of each disruption, however, and the specific responsibility of individuals or Russian state agencies vary from case to case.
Industrial controllers and remote-management systems are used in manufacturing and utilities. Unauthorised interference can affect physical equipment as well as computer networks.