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ESET researchers reported that the Russia-linked Sandworm APT deployed a new destructive wiper, SwiftSlicer, against a Ukrainian organization after likely compromising the victim’s Active Directory environment. The malware was detected on the target network on January 25 and was distributed through Group Policy, a technique that indicates domain-level access and enables rapid propagation across Windows systems.
Written in Go, SwiftSlicer is designed to maximize disruption by deleting shadow copies, overwriting files in both system and non-system locations with random data, and forcing a reboot of the infected machine. Researchers said the operation fits Sandworm’s broader pattern of disruptive attacks on Ukraine, alongside earlier destructive malware and attack tools including HermeticWiper, CaddyWiper, RansomBoggs, BlackEnergy, GreyEnergy, Industroyer, and Industroyer2.
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2 events from the most recent confirmed update back to the earliest known activity.
ESET publicly disclosed the SwiftSlicer wiper campaign and attributed it to the Sandworm APT group. The report described SwiftSlicer as a Go-based wiper that deletes shadow copies, overwrites files with random data, and reboots infected systems.
ESET detected a new destructive malware sample, later named SwiftSlicer, on the network of a targeted organization in Ukraine. The malware was deployed via Group Policy, suggesting the attackers had compromised the victim's Active Directory environment.
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Russian state-backed hacking group **Sandworm** has intensified its use of data-wiping malware in Ukraine, specifically targeting the country's grain sector, government, education, energy, and logistics organizations. According to ESET's APT Activity Report, Sandworm deployed destructive malware such as `ZEROLOT` and `Sting` in attacks during June and September 2025, aiming to disrupt Ukraine's vital economic infrastructure. These operations are part of a broader pattern of Russian cyber aggression, with Sandworm's campaigns standing out for their focus on sabotaging Ukraine's wartime economy by striking at its main revenue source—grain exports. The attacks leveraged multiple data-wiping malware families, which are designed to irreversibly destroy digital information by corrupting files, disk partitions, and master boot records. Unlike ransomware, these wipers serve purely as tools of sabotage, not extortion. The targeting of the grain sector marks a notable escalation, as previous wiper campaigns primarily focused on government and critical infrastructure. ESET's findings highlight the ongoing evolution and increasing sophistication of Russian APT activity, with Sandworm's destructive operations representing a significant threat to Ukraine's economic stability during the ongoing conflict.
Jun 29, 2026
CERT-UA reported that the Russia-linked **Sandworm** cluster `UAC-0145`, tied to `UAC-0002` and also tracked as **APT44** and **Seashell Blizzard**, has run a sustained campaign against Ukrainian targets using several social-engineering and malware-delivery methods. Investigators said attackers compromised more than 10 websites and deployed **ClickFix**-style fake CAPTCHA pages that instructed visitors to paste malicious PowerShell commands into Windows, while other lures included trojanized software installers from torrent trackers, bogus antivirus installation requests sent through Signal, and a fake Android security app. CERT-UA linked the activity to long-running operations targeting Ukrainian government and military-related organizations. The campaign used a broad malware ecosystem including **GHETTOVIBE**, **SCOUTCURL**, **FLUIDLEECH**, **LOADLOOP**, **FREAKYPOLL**, **SMARTAXE**, and the Android backdoor **COWARDDUCK**, alongside legitimate tools such as **OpenSSH**, **Tor**, and **rsync** for persistence, tunneling, and exfiltration. CERT-UA said at least one infection delivered through a trojanized installer enabled persistence and lateral movement inside an organization and was later used in a destructive attack against the infrastructure of a central executive authority of Ukraine. Analysts also found the operators using **Cloaking.House** and blockchain `eth_call` lookups to retrieve remote domains dynamically, while the Android malware was capable of stealing files, contacts, device data, and real-time geolocation and used the Dropbox API and content from legitimate services in its command-and-control workflow.
Jul 19, 2026
Russian GRU-linked **Sandworm** has targeted Ukrainian organizations through multiple intrusion paths, including exploitation of vulnerable **Exim Mail Transfer Agent** servers and malware-laced Microsoft **KMS activation tools**. NSA reporting tied GRU operators to active exploitation of Exim for initial access, while newer reporting said Sandworm used trojanized software installers in cyber-espionage campaigns aimed at Ukrainian users, expanding the group’s access beyond perimeter-facing mail infrastructure. Researchers and media reports said the activity affected about **20 critical organizations in Ukraine**, underscoring Sandworm’s continued focus on high-value government and infrastructure targets. The combined reporting shows a sustained campaign that blends server-side exploitation with social engineering and malicious software distribution to establish footholds, steal information, and support disruptive operations associated with the Russian military intelligence apparatus.
Jul 12, 2026