U.S. Treasury sanctions Russian institute linked to dangerous malware

The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on Friday on a Russian research institute tied to the development of a dangerous computer program capable of causing catastrophic industrial damage.

Treasury alleged that the Russian government-backed Central Scientific Research Institute of Chemistry and Mechanics - also known by its Russian acronym, TsNIIKhM - was responsible for “building customized tools that enabled the attack” on an unidentified petrochemical facility in the Middle East in 2017.