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Russian Authorities Warn of 20-Year Jail for Legion Contact as Cybercriminals Phish

Authorities issue stern warning. Cybercriminals target Russians searching for anti-Kremlin groups, putting them at risk.

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1 min read
In the picture we can see three boys standing near the desk on it, we can see two computer systems...
In the picture we can see three boys standing near the desk on it, we can see two computer systems towards them and one boy is talking into the microphone and they are in ID cards with red tags to it and behind them we can see a wall with an advertisement board and written on it as Russia imagine 2013.

Russian Authorities Warn of 20-Year Jail for Legion Contact as Cybercriminals Phish

Russian authorities have warned citizens about the dangers of communicating with the Freedom of Russia Legion. Those caught face up to 20 years in prison. Meanwhile, cybercriminals are exploiting the situation, creating fake websites to harvest personal data and manipulate search engine results.

A fake website, legiohliberty[.]army, mimics the legitimate Freedom of Russia Legion site. It uses a Google Form to collect personal details. This follows a pattern of arrests and convictions in Russia for aiding Ukrainian paramilitary groups. The phishing network includes domains like rusvolcorps[.]net, ciagov[.]icu, and hochuzhitlife[.]com, impersonating recruitment sites and intelligence services.

Group-IB, a cybersecurity company, discovered these phishing websites. They target Russians searching for anti-Kremlin organizations, putting them at risk of legal consequences. The Freedom of Russia Legion was designated a terrorist organization by Russia's Supreme Court in March 2023. Phishing sites are promoted through manipulated search engine results, appearing above legitimate sites on Yandex, DuckDuckGo, and Bing.

Russian citizens are urged to be cautious online, especially when searching for anti-Kremlin organizations. Phishing sites can lead to financial loss, malware infection, arrest, or even loss of life. The Russian government's designation of the Freedom of Russia Legion as a terrorist organization has not deterred cybercriminals from exploiting the situation.

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