Digital Revolution Hackers Leak FSB Social Media Monitoring Scheme

Cybercriminals from the group Digital Revolution claim to have obtained and leaked documentation describing a system used by the FSB (Federal Security Service of Russia) to monitor public opinion and search for radical statements on social media. According to the hackers, they found all the documentation on hacked servers belonging to the research institute “Kvant.”

This information was reported by The Insider, citing a statement from Digital Revolution itself.

How the FSB Monitored Social Media

According to the information obtained by the hackers, the FSB tracked public opinion on major online platforms such as VKontakte, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The specifics of how this monitoring was to be carried out are detailed in a document named “Avenir.” Law enforcement was instructed to identify protest sentiments using neural networks, with special attention given to the name of Alexei Navalny.

The documents state that the search for opposition content should be conducted primarily in radical social groups, such as “Putin – Leave.” The goal was to focus on posts and publications that could potentially be prosecuted under Russian law.

Background on Kvant Research Institute

It is worth noting that the Kvant Research Institute was transferred under the control of the FSB. The United States imposed sanctions on the institute for its alleged involvement in cyberattacks.