The New York Times reports:

A newly disclosed effort by Russian intelligence to hijack the email system of a United States government agency prompted leading Democrats on Friday to urge stronger action against Moscow for accelerating cyberattacks ahead of President Biden’s summit next month with President Vladimir V. Putin.

The latest hack was brought to light late Thursday by Microsoft and other private firms. They exposed how Russia’s S.V.R., the same intelligence agency that Washington has blamed for a range of cyberattacks on American networks over the past decade, was able to use hackers to infiltrate a communications company that distributes emails on behalf of the United States Agency for International Development.

It used that access to send authentic-looking messages to human rights groups, nonprofit organizations and think tanks, including some that have been critical of Mr. Putin. The emails contained links to malware that gave the Russians access to the recipients’ computer networks. [Continue reading…]