In a blog post entitled “New activity from Russian actor Nobelium,” Microsoft’s V.P. of Customer Security & Trust Tom Burt discussed a recent alert issued by the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) regarding the activities of this threat actor. Mr Burt shared that Nobelium “has been attempting to replicate the approach it has used in past attacks by targeting organizations integral to the global IT supply chain.”

Nobelium was behind the 2020 SolarWinds incident and is now focused on attacking “resellers and other technology service providers that customize, deploy and manage cloud services and other technologies on behalf of their customers.” According to Burt, Microsoft, “believe[s] Nobelium ultimately hopes to piggyback on any direct access that resellers may have to their customers’ IT systems and more easily impersonate an organization’s trusted technology partner to gain access to their downstream customers.”

Microsoft has observed this behavior by Nobelium since May 2021. The techniques used by Nobelium include password spray and phishing to steal credentials and obtain privileged access.

Microsoft issued technical guidance to help protect organizations, as well as recommendations for mitigation and remediation, which can be accessed here.

Resellers and managed service providers are in Nobelium’s cross-hairs. If you are part of that industry, staying abreast of this threat intelligence is helpful and worth consideration to help prevent an attack that could affect both you and your customers.

Photo of Linn Foster Freedman Linn Foster Freedman

Linn Freedman practices in data privacy and security law, cybersecurity, and complex litigation. She is a member of the Business Litigation Group and the Financial Services Cyber-Compliance Team, and chairs the firm’s Data Privacy and Security and Artificial Intelligence Teams. Linn focuses her…

Linn Freedman practices in data privacy and security law, cybersecurity, and complex litigation. She is a member of the Business Litigation Group and the Financial Services Cyber-Compliance Team, and chairs the firm’s Data Privacy and Security and Artificial Intelligence Teams. Linn focuses her practice on compliance with all state and federal privacy and security laws and regulations. She counsels a range of public and private clients from industries such as construction, education, health care, insurance, manufacturing, real estate, utilities and critical infrastructure, marine and charitable organizations, on state and federal data privacy and security investigations, as well as emergency data breach response and mitigation. Linn is an Adjunct Professor of the Practice of Cybersecurity at Brown University and an Adjunct Professor of Law at Roger Williams University School of Law.  Prior to joining the firm, Linn served as assistant attorney general and deputy chief of the Civil Division of the Attorney General’s Office for the State of Rhode Island. She earned her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law and her B.A., with honors, in American Studies from Newcomb College of Tulane University. She is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Read her full rc.com bio here.