Russia’s largest Internet company by value confirmed it was subject to a cyber attack at the end of last year but said no user data was compromised.
Yandex, sometimes called “Russia’s Google” because of its offerings of search, mail and taxi services, said June 27 it caught the attack at an early stage and “neutralized” it before any damage could be done.
While major Internet companies are regularly subject to cyber attacks, Reuters reported this particular hack was undertaken by individuals working for Western intelligence agencies.
The hackers installed a rare type of malware used by Western intelligence agencies in an attempt to spy on users, Reuters reported, citing unidentified people. U.S. security agencies declined to comment.
Moscow-based Yandex is publicly traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange in New York.
The report is the second this month of western cyberattacks against Russia. The New York Times reported June 15 that the U.S. has been carrying out digital incursion of Russia’s electric power grid.
The United States last year accused Russia of a series of digital incursions against U.S. critical infrastructure, including power plants.
Earlier this year, Special Counsel Robert Mueller concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. elections, including hacking into computers.
Gloss