Latest cybersecurity reporting from selected sources.

Governments Cite Winter Hack of Polish Power Grid and CyberespionageA winter Russian intelligence hack of the Polish energy grid and a protracted campaign of cyberespionage are behind coordinated sanctions against Moscow's intelligence apparatus announced Monday by the European Union and the United Kingdom.

Also: Chinese Firms Indicted in Crypto-Linked Fentanyl Supply CaseThis week, charges filed in Uranium Finance hack, indictment of Chinese firms in fentanyl supply case, a class action lawsuit against Nvidia, Drift Protocol exploit, KuCoin operational barriers in the United States and a U.K. sanction filed against Xinbi.

Chinese Hacking Firm iSoon and Iran's Emennet Pasargad Among TargetsThe European Union sanctioned three Chinese and Iranian hacking operations that have been under U.S. indictments or sanctions for over a year - or, in one case, since 2019. The sanctions freeze assets and forbid EU citizens and companies from funding or otherwise doing business with the targets.

Also: Man Denied Bankruptcy Discharge Over $12.5M Crypto Ponzi DebtsU.S. sanctions Iranian shadow banking network, Texas man denied bankruptcy discharge, Nemo blames $2.6M exploit on developer errors, THORChain founder hacked, Shibarium Bridge hit by $2.4M hack, Denver court rules pastor's $3.3M project a fraud and NYDFS tells banks to use blockchain analytics.

Also: Hackers Use Ethereum Smart Contracts to Hide Malicious npm CodeSwissBorg $41M hack, hidden malicious npm code, sanctions on Southeast Asian networks, California launderer's sentencing, Kinto's shuttering, Venus Protocol pays back victim, Nemo Protocol hack, DOJ's $5M recovery effort, Lagarde's proposed rules and the SEC-CFTC plan for market clarity.

Also: Dismantling a 460 Million Euro Crypto Fraud NetworkThis week, a peek into Iran's largest crypto exchange blending privacy, scale and sanctions evasion, Europol and Spanish police dismantled a crypto fraud network, $9.5M Resupply hack, sentencing in a $40M ponzi scheme and a North Korean crypto theft and employment fraud ring.

Also: 5 Guilty Pleas in Cambodia-linked $36.9 Million ScamEvery week, ISMG rounds up cybersecurity incidents in digital assets. This week, charges against a crypto firm founder in a $530M sanctions evasion and money laundering case, guilty pleas in a $36.9M scam, an $8.3M exploit of Alex Lab, and Cetus Protocol relaunched after a $223M hack.

Also: Signal Blocks Recall, Europe Sanctions Stark IndustriesThis week, Qakbot leader indicted, Signal blocked Recall and a judge said Trump illegally removed watchdogs. Ivanti and Palo Alto hacks linked, Stark Industries sanctioned, Marks and Spencer's hack costs 300M pounds. Pro-Ukraine hackers hit a Russian clinic and an outbreak of PureRAT in Russia.

Also: The Treasury Department Lifts Tornado Cash SanctionsThis week, Abracadabra hack, updates on Tornado Cash and Bybit, $7M scam money recovery, man faces prison for stabbing crypto CEO, movie director charged for swindle, Ripple-SEC case wrap-up, Grinex is the new Garantex, Gotbit plea deal, Coinbase in supply chain hack and Binance insider risk threat.

Europe Targets Officers of Unit 29155 of the Russian Main Intelligence DirectorateThe European Union sanctioned on Monday three officers of a Russian military intelligence unit for their role in cyberattacks targeting Estonia in 2020. The sanctions are tied to the unit's 2020 hack of the Estonian government departments and the exfiltration of sensitive documents.

Department of Treasury Imposes SanctionsThe U.S. federal government said Friday it's traced the source of Chinese hacker intrusions into telecom networks to a government contractor located in hacking hotbed Sichuan. The Department of Treasury imposed sanctions on the firm, Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology.

US Cyber Defense Agency Confirms Role in Federal Probe Following 'Major Incident'The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is working closely with the Treasury Department in an ongoing investigation to determine the full scale and scope of a Chinese-linked hack targeting key offices tasked with sanctions enforcement, the agency confirmed Monday.

Integrity Technology Group Built Botnet for Chinese Hackers, US Treasury SaysThe Department of Treasury blacklisted Integrity Technology Group, declaring transactions with the company to be off-limits for U.S. financial institutions and persons. The effect will likely have more symbolic than actual disruptive effect.

Hackers Reportedly Target Treasury Department Offices Overseeing Economic SanctionsA Chinese hack of the U.S. Department of Treasury targeted offices tasked with overseeing economic sanctions and financial investigations, as experts warn Beijing is increasingly escalating attacks on American critical infrastructure while preparing for potential future conflict.

Tianfeng Guan Allegedly Developed Zero-Day Exploit of Sophos XG FirewallThe U.S. federal government rolled out its heavy guns Tuesday against a Chinese hacker allegedly at the center of a zero-day exploit used to hack firewalls made by Sophos, unsealing an indictment, rolling out sanctions and offering $10 million for information leading to the suspect's arrest.

Russian Nationals, Agencies Engaged in Cyberattacks, Misinformation to be TargetedThe European Council on Tuesday introduced a new sanctions framework to target Russian nationals and organizations engaged in malicious cyber activities such as election misinformation and disruptive cyberattacks. It seeks to address activities such as influence operations and hacking.

Hackers Part of Callisto and Armageddon GroupsThe European Union sanctioned four Russian domestic intelligence agency hackers including two military officers who participated in what researchers have described as "hack and leak" operations. Also coming under sanctions are ransomware hackers part of the Wizard Spider criminal group.

U.S.-Led Sanctions Do Little to Curtail North Korea's Development of AISouth Korea's intelligence agency has reported that North Korean hackers are using generative AI to conduct cyberattacks and search for hacking targets. Experts believe North Korea's AI capabilities are robust enough for more precise attacks on South Korea.

Governments Accuse Aleksandr Ermakov and REvil of Being Medibank HackersThe United States, Australia and the United Kingdom sanctioned a Russian man the governments say was behind the October 2022 hacking of Medibank, Australia's largest private health insurer. The attack was a high point in a wave of data breaches buffeting the country that year.

Both Governments Sanction 2 'Star Blizzard' Hackers; US Indicts ThemThe U.K. government accused Russia's domestic intelligence agency of running a yearslong campaign to interfere in British politics. U.S. federal prosecutors unsealed a criminal indictment against two FSB agents, accursing them of phishing campaigns against national security government employees.