FBI, CISA issue PSA on Russian intelligence campaign to target messaging apps | CyberScoop<\/title> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/fbi-cisa-issue-psa-on-russian-intelligence-campaign-to-target-messaging-apps\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"FBI, CISA issue PSA on Russian intelligence campaign to target messaging apps\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It echoes earlier alerts from the Netherlands and Germany, and is the latest to warn about targeting of Signal users and others.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/fbi-cisa-issue-psa-on-russian-intelligence-campaign-to-target-messaging-apps\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cyberscoop\/\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" 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class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--newsletter js-stickybar\" readability=\"0.82\"> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.555813953488\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"34.888337468983\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/fbi-cisa-issue-psa-on-russian-intelligence-campaign-to-target-messaging-apps\/\"> <span>Cybersecurity<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> It echoes earlier alerts from the Netherlands and Germany, and is the latest to warn about targeting of Signal users and others. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/88338\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fbi-cisa-issue-psa-on-russian-intelligence-campaign-to-target-messaging-apps.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fbi-cisa-issue-psa-on-russian-intelligence-campaign-to-target-messaging-apps-2.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fbi-cisa-issue-psa-on-russian-intelligence-campaign-to-target-messaging-apps-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fbi-cisa-issue-psa-on-russian-intelligence-campaign-to-target-messaging-apps-2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fbi-cisa-issue-psa-on-russian-intelligence-campaign-to-target-messaging-apps-2.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fbi-cisa-issue-psa-on-russian-intelligence-campaign-to-target-messaging-apps-2.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fbi-cisa-issue-psa-on-russian-intelligence-campaign-to-target-messaging-apps-2.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fbi-cisa-issue-psa-on-russian-intelligence-campaign-to-target-messaging-apps-2.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fbi-cisa-issue-psa-on-russian-intelligence-campaign-to-target-messaging-apps-2.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fbi-cisa-issue-psa-on-russian-intelligence-campaign-to-target-messaging-apps-2.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fbi-cisa-issue-psa-on-russian-intelligence-campaign-to-target-messaging-apps-2.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> Anton Petrus, Getty Images <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"23.358584070796\"><body readability=\"50.074893617021\"><\/p>\n<p>Russian intelligence-affiliated hackers have gained access to thousands of users\u2019 messaging apps with a global phishing campaign, the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency warned in a public service announcement on Friday.<\/p>\n<p>The high-value targets they\u2019re pursuing include current and former U.S. government officials, political figures, military personnel and journalists, the two agencies said in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ic3.gov\/PSA\/2026\/PSA260320\">joint PSA<\/a> about the hackers\u2019 attempts to infiltrate commercial messaging applications (CMAs).<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/resources-tools\/resources\/russian-intelligence-services-target-commercial-messaging-application-accounts\">U.S. alert<\/a> comes on the heels of an earlier <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/tech\/security\/signal-whatsapp-users-face-russian-phishing-push-dutch-warn-rcna262533\">warning from Dutch authorities<\/a>, who said last week that Russian hackers were \u201cengaged in a large-scale global attempt\u201d to take over WhatsApp and Signal accounts. The Dutch warning likewise followed a similar warning from Germany in February.<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. agencies emphasized that the hackers had not been able to bypass end-to-end encryption, instead manipulating users into giving up access. The scheme involves hackers posing as Signal help personnel, then inviting them to click a link or provide verification codes or account personal identification number.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cAfter compromising an account, malicious actors can view the victims\u2019 messages and contact lists, send messages, and conduct additional phishing against other CMA accounts,\u201d the PSA explains. \u201c(Note: reporting shows that the threat actors specifically target Signal accounts but can apply similar methods against other CMAs).\u201d<\/p>\n<p>However, \u201cCMA users who strengthen their personal cybersecurity and defend against social engineering attempts can reduce the risk of account compromise and limit the effectiveness of the threat actors\u2019 current tactics, techniques, and procedures,\u201d the agencies said.<\/p>\n<p>The Russian campaign is just the latest to seek to bypass the protections commercial messaging apps offer. CISA in November <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cisa-alert-draws-attention-to-spywares-targeting-of-messaging-apps\/\">warned about spyware<\/a> targeting of messaging apps. <\/p>\n<p>There sometimes has been a Russian intelligence nexus to the recent targeting. Google Threat Intelligence Group <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/russia-threat-groups-target-ukraine-signal\/\">shined a spotlight<\/a> last year on Russian attempts to target Signal users in Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018We anticipate the tactics and methods used to target Signal will grow in prevalence in the near-term and proliferate to additional threat actors and regions outside the Ukrainian theater of war,\u201d the company said.<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"7.7216117216117\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fbi-cisa-issue-psa-on-russian-intelligence-campaign-to-target-messaging-apps-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Tim Starks\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-card__details\" readability=\"10.901098901099\">\n<h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Tim Starks<\/h4>\n<p> Tim Starks is senior reporter at CyberScoop. His previous stops include working at The Washington Post, POLITICO and Congressional Quarterly. An Evansville, Ind. native, he’s covered cybersecurity since 2003. Email Tim here: <a href=\"mailto:tim.starks@cyberscoop.com\">tim.starks@cyberscoop.com<\/a>. <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div 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{"id":8454,"date":"2026-03-20T14:34:41","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T19:34:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=88338"},"modified":"2026-03-20T14:34:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T19:34:41","slug":"fbi-cisa-issue-psa-on-russian-intelligence-campaign-to-target-messaging-apps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2026\/03\/20\/fbi-cisa-issue-psa-on-russian-intelligence-campaign-to-target-messaging-apps\/","title":{"rendered":"FBI, CISA issue PSA on Russian intelligence campaign to target messaging apps"},"content":{"rendered":"