Cyber Incident Victim: Czech Republic
Date:
Dec 2018
Location:
Czechia
Summary
Czech authorities dismantled an alleged Russian cyber-espionage network operated by Russian nationals holding local citizenship, with support from Russia's intelligence agency and funding channeled through its Prague embassy. Multiple national security agencies collaborated to disrupt the FSB-linked operation, which focused on intelligence gathering. The Russian embassy denied involvement, dismissing the accusations as false. The same Czech intelligence service concurrently assisted a cybersecurity firm in investigating a separate breach attributed to Chinese state-sponsored actors, reflecting broader efforts to counter foreign cyber threats. The agency has previously disrupted global cyber-espionage infrastructure, including servers used by terrorist groups to distribute mobile malware.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actor | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 actor | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
Czech authorities dismantled an alleged Russian cyber-espionage network operating within the country during late 2018. The operation targeted a group of Russian nationals holding Czech citizenship who established the network with logistical support from Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) and financial backing channeled through Russia's embassy in Prague. Czech intelligence service BIS led the disruption effort with assistance from the National Cyber and Information Security Agency (NUKIB) and the Police National Organised Crime Centre (NCOZ). Initial reports about the network's dismantling emerged in March 2019 through Czech media outlet Respekt, but formal confirmation occurred on October 21, 2019, when BIS Director Michal Koudelka addressed the Chamber of Deputies during an annual security briefing. Koudelka categorized the FSB-linked operation among the Czech Republic's primary national security concerns alongside threats from Chinese state-sponsored hackers and Islamic terrorist organizations. The intelligence chief announced plans for BIS to hold a detailed press conference on October 24 to elaborate on the 2018 counter-espionage operation.
Russian officials categorically denied involvement through a statement issued to TASS news agency, with the Prague embassy asserting it had "nothing to do with any intelligence network." The disclosure coincided with BIS confirming its assistance to cybersecurity firm Avast regarding a separate breach by Chinese state-sponsored actors targeting the company's internal networks. BIS maintained an active counter-cyberespionage posture during this period, having previously disrupted Hezbollah-linked malicious infrastructure in 2018 that distributed mobile malware globally. No technical specifics regarding the FSB-linked network's targets, intrusion methods, or operational duration were disclosed publicly by Czech authorities during the initial confirmation phase. The multi-agency operation represented continued Czech efforts to counter foreign cyber threats through coordinated law enforcement and intelligence actions.