Finnish Intelligence Warns of Persistent Russian and Chinese Cyber Espionage
Summary
Finland’s SUPO warns that Russian and Chinese intelligence services sustain cyberespionage and influence operations targeting government, research and technology sectors, citing the Vastaamo breach and a parliamentary intrusion attributed to APT31.
Key points
- SUPO says Russian and Chinese intelligence operations pose a sustained threat to Finland, combining cyberintrusions, traditional espionage and influence campaigns.
- Government systems, research institutions and advanced-technology companies are targets for sensitive information, including research and development data.
- The article cites the 2020 Vastaamo breach, in which hackers stole therapy records and attempted to extort the provider and individual victims.
- Finnish officials formally blamed a 2020 intrusion into parliament’s internal IT systems on Chinese state-sponsored group APT31.
- SUPO says expulsions of Russian diplomats weakened traditional intelligence networks, while cyber and influence operations remain persistent.
- Regional officials say GPS interference affecting aircraft navigation in northern Finland and Norway originates from Russian military systems on the Kola Peninsula.
Article Details
- Publisher
- The Record
- Report Period
- Current assessment; publication date not specified. Includes incidents from 2020.
- Scope
- Foreign intelligence, cyberespionage, and influence operations targeting Finland.
- Key Statistics
- The 2020 Vastaamo breach exposed therapy records belonging to tens of thousands of patients.
- Aleksanteri Kivimäki was sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted of more than 20,000 counts of attempted extortion tied to the Vastaamo incident.
Threat Actors
Aleksanteri KivimäkiThe article identifies him as a Finnish cybercriminal and reports that he was convicted of more than 20,000 counts of attempted extortion tied to the Vastaamo incident. It does not state that he carried out the breach.APT31Finnish officials formally blamed APT31 for the cyber intrusion affecting Finland’s parliament in 2020.Daniel Lee NewhardFinnish prosecutors charged him with attempted extortion tied to the Vastaamo incident; the article does not report a conviction.
Countries
ChinaFinland’s intelligence service warned that Russia and China continue to conduct extensive cyberespionage and influence operations targeting the country’s technology sector, research institutions and government,FinlandFinland’s Security and Intelligence Service (SUPO) warns that Russian and Chinese intelligence services are conducting sustained cyberespionage and influence operations targeting the country’s technology sector,Norwayhave repeatedly reported GPS interference affecting aircraft navigation in northern Finland and Norway, disruptions regional officials say originate from Russian military systems on the Kola Peninsula.RussiaFinland’s intelligence service warned that Russia and China continue to conduct extensive cyberespionage and influence operations targeting the country’s technology sector, research institutions and government,