The 2017 presidential campaign was marked by a major cyberattack. A few days before the official end of the election campaign, Emmanuel Macron's team was targeted by a computer attack. This resulted in the theft of 70,663 confidential emails and documents. This information was published on the web, presumably in the hope of preventing the election of the candidate of the "En Marche!" movement, at the start of the electoral reserve period.
An investigation was quickly opened by the Information Technology Fraud Investigation Brigade (BEFTI) of the Paris police headquarters and the National Agency for Information Systems Security (ANSSI). The affair was referred to as MacronLeaks. The leak did not prevent Emmanuel Macron's victory.
Sabotage of TV5Monde, hacking of the Macron campaign: the feats of arms of APT28
This Tuesday, April 29, 2025, the French authorities officially accused Russia of having orchestrated the hacking of Emmanuel Macron's campaign. For Jean-Noël Barrot, head of French diplomacy, "the Russian military intelligence service (GRU) has been deploying a cyber-offensive modus operandi against France for several years, called APT28." This gang, also known as Fancy Bear, is believed to be responsible for hacking Macron's campaign and sabotaging TV5Monde in 2015.
In the past, cybersecurity experts had already pointed the finger at APT28 as the obvious culprit behind both cyberattacks. The results of the investigation conducted by the French authorities confirm the involvement of the group, financed by Moscow.
For French diplomacy, "APT28 has multiplied the targets: ministerial entities, local authorities, but also arms and aerospace companies or economic and financial sectors",and this, since 2021. Russian hackers have also carried out sabotage operations during the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. These activities "destabilizing are unacceptable and unworthy of a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council", believes France, which says it is "determined to use all means to its disposal to anticipate Russia's malicious behavior.".
A long history of electoral manipulation
By attacking Macron's campaign, Russia sought to influence public opinion and "manipulate voters," but the maneuver failed "to really impact the electoral process," indicates French diplomacy in a video intended to raise awareness among the French.
A year earlier, APT28 also reportedly interfered with the democratic process in the United States. American intelligence services accuse the Russian group of having hacked tens of thousands of messages from the Democratic Party, led by Hillary Clinton, in order to ensure Donald Trump's victory.
Source: Diplomacy
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