**TRUMP ADMIN THWARTS FOREIGN 'HACKTIVIST' PLOT TO SABOTAGE AMERICA'S CRITICAL WATER INFRASTRUCTURE**
In a significant blow to the nation's cybersecurity, a Ukrainian national has been charged with collaborating with two Russia-linked criminal groups responsible for cyberattacks worldwide and against the United States. Victoria Eduardovna Dubranova, 32, was indicted on Tuesday by a U.S. District Court in Los Angeles with one count of "conspiracy to damage protected computers and tamper with public water systems," according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Dubranova's alleged crimes put thousands of American communities at risk of contaminated drinking water, highlighting the devastating consequences of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. The EPA's Criminal Investigation Division, in partnership with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, led an extensive investigation into Dubranova's activities.
"The defendant's illegal actions to tamper with the nation's public water systems put communities and the nation's drinking water resources at risk," said EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Craig Pritzlaff in a statement. "These criminal charges serve as an unequivocal warning to malicious cyber actors in the U.S. and abroad: EPA's Criminal Investigation Division and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate threats to our nation's water infrastructure and will pursue justice against those who endanger the American public."
Dubranova was extradited to America earlier this year for her alleged collaboration with the CyberArmyofRussia_Reborn (CARR) hacking group, which has claimed credit for hundreds of cyberattacks worldwide in support of Russia's geopolitical interests. The group regularly posts on Telegram claiming credit for its attacks and publishing proof of victim websites being taken offline.
"According to the indictment, NoName [another Russia-linked hacking group] claimed credit for hundreds of cyberattacks against victims worldwide in support of Russia's geopolitical interests," said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill for the Central District of California. "NoName regularly posted on Telegram claiming credit for its attacks and published proof of victim websites being taken offline."
Dubranova is also accused of collaborating with another hacking group, NoName, which has been linked to Russia and has claimed responsibility for numerous cyberattacks worldwide. The indictment alleges that NoName's victims included government agencies, financial institutions, and critical infrastructure such as public railways and ports.
The investigation into CARR was conducted by the EPA's Criminal Investigation Division, the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office, and the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in the case.
Politically-motivated hacktivist groups like CARR pose a serious threat to national security, particularly when foreign intelligence services use civilians to obfuscate their malicious cyber activity targeting American critical infrastructure and NATO allies abroad.
Dubranova could face a statutory maximum sentence of 27 years in federal prison if convicted of the charges. She has pleaded not guilty to all counts, including one count of damaging protected computers, one count of access device fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
The indictment serves as a warning to malicious cyber actors worldwide that the United States will not tolerate threats to its water infrastructure or cybersecurity. The Trump administration's efforts to protect America's critical infrastructure from foreign hacking groups are a crucial step towards maintaining national security.