(Sharecast News) - Russian cyber-attacks have been targeting US conservative political groups ahead of mid-term elections, Microsoft revealed after it managed to block several attempts.
The software company said the 'Fancy Bears' hackers group, who have links to the Russian military, had tried to steal data from political groups including the International Republican Institute and the Hudson Institute thinktanks.

Microsoft prevented the data from being stolen after it won back control of six net domains that mimicked their websites.

"We're concerned that these and other attempts pose security threats to a broadening array of groups connected with both American political parties in the run-up to the 2018 elections," Microsoft said in its blog detailing its work.

Microsoft is also concerned that the attack could lead others into visiting mimicked domains and allowing the hackers to steal their login information.

Microsoft president Brad Smith said in a blog post issued by the company that it had grabbed dodgy domains 12 times in two years to shut down 84 websites associated with Fancy Bear, the hacking group linked to the Russian military.

This attack comes as the US tries to avoid meddling in the midterm elections this year and not have a repeat of the 2016 presidential election in which Russian hackers used social media to spread misinformation that could have swayed the final result.

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