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New Android Spyware Created by Russian Defense Contractor Found in the Wild

New Android Spyware Created by Russian Defense Contractor Found in the Wild

Jul 25, 2019
Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a new piece of mobile surveillance malware believed to be developed by a Russian defense contractor that has been sanctioned for interfering with the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Dubbed Monokle , the mobile remote-access trojan has been actively targeting Android phones since at least March 2016 and is primarily being used in highly targeted attacks on a limited number of people. According to security researchers at Lookout, Monokle possesses a wide range of spying functionalities and uses advanced data exfiltration techniques, even without requiring root access to a targeted device. How Bad is Monokle Surveillance Malware In particular, the malware abuses Android accessibility services to exfiltrate data from a large number of popular third-party applications, including Google Docs, Facebook messenger, Whatsapp, WeChat, and Snapchat, by reading text displayed on a device's screen at any point in time. The malware also extracts
U.S. Charges Iranian Hacker, Offers $10 Million Reward for Capture

U.S. Charges Iranian Hacker, Offers $10 Million Reward for Capture

Mar 02, 2024 Cybercrime / Social Engineering
The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) on Friday unsealed an indictment against an Iranian national for his alleged involvement in a multi-year cyber-enabled campaign designed to compromise U.S. governmental and private entities. More than a dozen entities are said to have been targeted, including the U.S. Departments of the Treasury and State, defense contractors that support U.S. Department of Defense programs, and an accounting firm and a hospitality company, both based in New York. Alireza Shafie Nasab, 39, claimed to be a cybersecurity specialist for a company named Mahak Rayan Afraz while participating in a persistent campaign targeting the U.S. from at least in or about 2016 through or about April 2021. "As alleged, Alireza Shafie Nasab participated in a cyber campaign using spear-phishing and other hacking techniques to infect more than 200,000 victim devices, many of which contained sensitive or classified defense information,"  said  U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the So
Making Sense of Operational Technology Attacks: The Past, Present, and Future

Making Sense of Operational Technology Attacks: The Past, Present, and Future

Mar 21, 2024Operational Technology / SCADA Security
When you read reports about cyber-attacks affecting operational technology (OT), it's easy to get caught up in the hype and assume every single one is sophisticated. But are OT environments all over the world really besieged by a constant barrage of complex cyber-attacks? Answering that would require breaking down the different types of OT cyber-attacks and then looking back on all the historical attacks to see how those types compare.  The Types of OT Cyber-Attacks Over the past few decades, there has been a growing awareness of the need for improved cybersecurity practices in IT's lesser-known counterpart, OT. In fact, the lines of what constitutes a cyber-attack on OT have never been well defined, and if anything, they have further blurred over time. Therefore, we'd like to begin this post with a discussion around the ways in which cyber-attacks can either target or just simply impact OT, and why it might be important for us to make the distinction going forward. Figure 1 The Pu
Anonymous hacks Defense contractor ManTech for #Antisec

Anonymous hacks Defense contractor ManTech for #Antisec

Jul 29, 2011
Anonymous hacks Defense contractor ManTech for #Antisec In a tweet posted by Anonymous claimed to have hack the defense contractor, ManTech International. Hackers promise to Release the Data within 24 Hours. This is the latest hack in the group's AntiSec Operation, and in particular its series of "F*ck FBI Friday" attacks. Previous attacks have targeted defense contractors and, in particular, companies who have worked with the FBI. These attacks have included attacks on the Atlanta chapter of InfraGard and the firms IRC Federal, Unveillance, and Booz Allen Hamilton, all of which provide cybersecurity services and solutions to the U.S. Government. According to Anonymous " We're legal, we're illegal. But most importantly we are legitimate. We fight for you, the citizen. We are not scared anymore ". Anonymous identifies ManTech's work for the FBI and the National Security Agency as its motivation for targeting the company and Leave message for FBI " You
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US Defense Contractor left Sensitive Files on Amazon Server Without Password

US Defense Contractor left Sensitive Files on Amazon Server Without Password

May 31, 2017
Sensitive files linked to the United States intelligence agency were reportedly left on a public Amazon server by one of the nation's top intelligence contractor without a password, according to a new report. UpGuard cyber risk analyst Chris Vickery discovered  a cache of 60,000 documents from a US military project for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) left unsecured on Amazon cloud storage server for anyone to access. The documents included passwords to a US government system containing sensitive information, and the security credentials of a senior employee of Booz Allen Hamilton, one of the country's top defense contractors. Although there wasn't any top secret file in the cache Vickery discovered, the documents included credentials to log into code repositories that could contain classified files and other credentials. Master Credentials to a Highly-Protected Pentagon System were Exposed Roughly 28GB of exposed documents included the privat
Military Contractor Mitsubishi hacked

Military Contractor Mitsubishi hacked

Sep 19, 2011
Military Contractor Mitsubishi hacked Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd said on Monday that its computers had been hacked into, with one newspaper saying the target was Japan's biggest defence contractor's factories for submarines, missiles and nuclear power plant components. " There is no possibility of any leakage of defense-related information at this point, " a spokesman for the Japanese conglomerate said. According to the Japanese newspaper, information was stolen from the company's computers in the attack. Mitsubishi Heavy has confirmed the attack, but said it is still investigating whether there were any information leaks.The company said about 80 virus-infected computers were found at the company's headquarters in Tokyo as well as manufacturing and R&D sites including Kobe Shipyard & Machinery Works, Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works and Nagoya Guidance & Propulsion System Works. Kobe Shipyard currently builds submarines and makes compone
Lazarus Hacker Group Evolves Tactics, Tools, and Targets in DeathNote Campaign

Lazarus Hacker Group Evolves Tactics, Tools, and Targets in DeathNote Campaign

Apr 13, 2023 Cyber Attack / Cyber Threat
The North Korean threat actor known as the Lazarus Group has been observed shifting its focus and rapidly evolving its tools and tactics as part of a long-running campaign called  DeathNote . While the nation-state adversary is known for persistently singling out the cryptocurrency sector, recent attacks have also targeted automotive, academic, and defense sectors in Eastern Europe and other parts of the world, in what's perceived as a "significant" pivot.  "At this point, the actor switched all the decoy documents to job descriptions related to defense contractors and diplomatic services," Kaspersky researcher Seongsu Park  said  in an analysis published Wednesday. The deviation in targeting, along with the use of updated infection vectors, is said to have occurred in April 2020. It's worth noting that the DeathNote cluster is also tracked under the monikers  Operation Dream Job  or  NukeSped . Google-owned Mandiant has also tied a subset of the activit
Chinese Hackers Hacked Into U.S. Defense Contractors 20 Times In Just One Year

Chinese Hackers Hacked Into U.S. Defense Contractors 20 Times In Just One Year

Sep 18, 2014
Chinese hackers associated with the Chinese government have successfully infiltrated the computer systems of U.S. defense contractors working with the government agency responsible for the transportation of military troops and goods across the globe, a Senate investigators have found. The Senate Armed Services Committee has been investigating the issue for the past year and found that the U.S. Military's Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) has been infiltrated at least 20 times in a single year, out of which only two were detected. This is probably the most serious allegation yet against China. The successful intrusions attributed to an "advanced persistent threat," a term used to designate sophisticated threats commonly associated with governments. All of those intrusions were attributed to China, the report stated. The investigation was conducted in the 12 months period from June 2012 to June 2013 based on information provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigat
Pentagon boosts contractor cybersecurity program

Pentagon boosts contractor cybersecurity program

May 12, 2012
Pentagon boosts contractor cybersecurity program The US Defense Department invited all of its eligible contractors on Friday to join a previously restricted information-sharing pact aimed at guarding sensitive Pentagon program data stored on private computer networks. The Pentagon predicts that as many as 1,000 defense contractors may join a voluntary effort to share classified information on cyber threats under an expansion of a first-ever initiative to protect computer networks. The effort, known as the Defense Industrial Base (" DIB ") program, is a voluntary information-sharing program in which the Department of Defense shares "unclassified indicators and related, classified contextual information" about cyber-attacks and threats with defense contractors. In exchange, defense contractors report known intrusions and can receive forensics analysis and damage assessments from the government after those attacks. In an optional part of the program, the DIB Enhan
Hackers Posed as Aerobics Instructors for Years to Target Aerospace Employees

Hackers Posed as Aerobics Instructors for Years to Target Aerospace Employees

Jul 28, 2021
An Iranian cyberespionage group masqueraded as an aerobics instructor on Facebook in an attempt to infect the machine of an employee of an aerospace defense contractor with malware as part of a years-long social engineering and targeted malware campaign. Enterprise security firm Proofpoint attributed the covert operation to a state-aligned threat actor it tracks as TA456, and by the wider cybersecurity community under the monikers Tortoiseshell and Imperial Kitten. "Using the social media persona 'Marcella Flores,' TA456 built a relationship across corporate and personal communication platforms with an employee of a small subsidiary of an aerospace defense contractor," Proofpoint  said  in a report shared with The Hacker News. "In early June 2021, the threat actor attempted to capitalize on this relationship by sending the target malware via an ongoing email communication chain." Earlier this month, Facebook  revealed  it took steps to dismantle a &quo
North Korean Hackers Used 'Torisma' Spyware in Job Offers-based Attacks

North Korean Hackers Used 'Torisma' Spyware in Job Offers-based Attacks

Nov 05, 2020
A cyberespionage campaign aimed at aerospace and defense sectors in order to install data gathering implants on victims' machines for purposes of surveillance and data exfiltration may have been more sophisticated than previously thought. The attacks, which targeted IP-addresses belonging to internet service providers (ISPs) in Australia, Israel, Russia, and defense contractors based in Russia and India, involved a previously undiscovered spyware tool called Torisma  to stealthily monitor its victims for continued exploitation. Tracked under the codename of " Operation North Star " by McAfee researchers, initial findings into the campaign in July revealed the use of social media sites, spear-phishing, and weaponized documents with fake job offers to trick employees working in the defense sector to gain a foothold on their organizations' networks. The attacks have been attributed to infrastructure and TTPs (Techniques, Tactics, and Procedures) previously associate
How Did Hackers Who Stole $81 Million from Bangladesh Bank Go Undetected?

How Did Hackers Who Stole $81 Million from Bangladesh Bank Go Undetected?

Apr 25, 2016
In Brief Investigators from British defense contractor BAE Systems discovered that hackers who stole $81 million from the Bangladesh Central Bank actually hacked into software from SWIFT financial platform, a key part of the global financial system. The hackers used a custom-made malware to hide evidence and go undetected by erasing records of illicit transfers with the help of compromised SWIFT system. The Bangladesh Bank hackers, who managed to steal $81 Million from the bank last month in one of the largest bank heists in history, actually made their tracks clear after hacking into SWIFT, the heart of the global financial system. SWIFT , stands for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications, is a global messaging network used for most international money and security transfers. More than 11,000 Global Banks on HIGH ALERT! Nearly 11,000 Banks and other financial institutions around the World use SWIFT system to send securely and receive payment
Former Tor Developer Created Malware for FBI to Unmask Tor Users

Former Tor Developer Created Malware for FBI to Unmask Tor Users

Apr 28, 2016
In Brief According to an investigation, Matthew Edman, a cyber security expert and former employee of the Tor Project, helped the FBI with Cornhusker a.k.a Torsploit malware that allowed Feds to hack and unmask Tor users in several high-profile cases, including Operation Torpedo and Silk Road. Do you know who created malware for the FBI that allowed Feds to unmask Tor users? It's an insider's job… A former Tor Project developer. In an investigation conducted by Daily Dot journalists, it turns out that  Matthew J. Edman , a former part-time employee of Tor Project, created malware for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that has been used by US law enforcement and intelligence agencies in several investigations, including Operation Torpedo . Matthew Edman is a computer scientist who specializes in cyber security and investigations and  joined the Tor Project in 2008 to build and enhance Tor software's interactions with Vidalia software, cross-platform
New "SockDetour" Fileless, Socketless Backdoor Targets U.S. Defense Contractors

New "SockDetour" Fileless, Socketless Backdoor Targets U.S. Defense Contractors

Feb 25, 2022
Cybersecurity researchers have taken the wraps off a previously undocumented and stealthy custom malware called SockDetour that targeted U.S.-based defense contractors with the goal of being used as a secondary implant on compromised Windows hosts. "SockDetour is a backdoor that is designed to remain stealthily on compromised Windows servers so that it can serve as a backup backdoor in case the primary one fails," Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 threat intelligence  said  in a report published Thursday. "It is difficult to detect, since it operates filelessly and socketlessly on compromised Windows servers." Even more concerningly, SockDetour is believed to have been used in attacks since at least July 2019, based on a compilation timestamp on the sample, implying that the backdoor successfully managed to slip past detection for over two-and-a-half years. The attacks have been attributed to a threat cluster it tracks as  TiltedTemple  (aka DEV-0322 by Microsof
Chinese Hackers Steal Info from top secret U.S military data

Chinese Hackers Steal Info from top secret U.S military data

May 03, 2013
QinetiQ , a UK-based defense contractor  suffers humiliation as intelligence officials confirmed that China was able to steal the U.S. classified documents and pertinent technological information all this because of QinetiQ's faulty decision-making. QinetiQ North America (QQ) a world leading defense technology and security company providing satellites, drones and software services to the U.S. Special Forces deployed in Afghanistan and Middle East. The hacking was so extensive that external consultants ended up more or less working permanently inside the firm to root out malicious software and compromises on an ongoing basis. In one of the attacks, that took place in 2009, the hackers raided at least 151 machines of the firm's Technology Solutions Group (TSG) over a 251-day period, stealing 20 gigabytes of data before being blocked.  As the White House moves to confront China over its theft of U.S. technology through hacking, policy makers are faced with the questi
Team Ghostshell leaks 1.6 million accounts under #ProjectWhiteFox

Team Ghostshell leaks 1.6 million accounts under #ProjectWhiteFox

Dec 10, 2012
Team Ghostshell a Hacktivists group of hackers, who before was in news for hacking Major Universities Around The Globe and leaked 120,000 records, are once again hit major organisations and expose around 1.6 million accounts  Hacker name the project as #ProjectWhiteFox , means " Freedom of Information " . These leaked 1.6 millions user accounts belongs to aerospace, nanotechnology, banking, law, education, government, military, all kinds of wacky companies & corporations working for the department of defense, airlines and more. In a Pastebin Note hackers mention, " How we went from 'cyber-criminals' to 'hacktivists' to 'e-terrorists' to 'bad actors' to blacklisted. #ProjectHellFire got the US wary of us, at that time we still wasn't sure if GhostShell had gotten X'd, but when the second release of #ProjectWestWind came out, you guys got so hyped about it that we knew it had started to unfold. " Hacked
Ex-NSA Contractor Stole 50 TB of Classified Data; Includes Top-Secret Hacking Tools

Ex-NSA Contractor Stole 50 TB of Classified Data; Includes Top-Secret Hacking Tools

Oct 21, 2016
Almost two months ago, the FBI quietly arrested NSA contractor Harold Thomas Martin III for stealing an enormous number of top secret documents from the intelligence agency. Now, according to a court document filed Thursday, the FBI seized at least 50 terabytes of data from 51-year-old Martin that he siphoned from government computers over two decades. The stolen data that are at least 500 million pages of government records includes top-secret information about "national defense." If all data stolen by Martin found indeed classified, it would be the largest NSA heist, far bigger than Edward Snowden leaks. According to the new filing, Martin also took "six full bankers' boxes" worth of documents, many of which were marked "Secret" and "Top Secret." The stolen data also include the personal information of government employees. The stolen documents date from between 1996 through 2016. "The document appears to have been printed by the
Potential backdoors discovered in US-based components used by French Satellites

Potential backdoors discovered in US-based components used by French Satellites

Jan 07, 2014
United Arab Emirates (UAE) may terminate a $930 Million USD contract with France based companies for the supply of two two military Imaging satellites  due to the discovery of several US produced components in them. Now the deal is in danger because the UAE claims it has discovered backdoors in the  components  which are manufactured in the United States , reported by the Defense News . The contract, sealed in July 2013, includes a ground station, the Pleiades-type satellites (aka Falcon Eye) are due for delivery 2018. The revelation was provided by high-level UAE sources, the companies involved in the business are the prime contractor Airbus Defense and Space, and payload maker Thales Alenia Space. " If this issue is not resolved, the UAE is willing to scrap the whole deal ," he added. UAE authorities suspect the presence of vulnerabilities would " provide a back door to the highly secure data transmitted to the ground station ". An unnamed UAE source has confirmed that the pres
Edward Snowden, whistleblower behind the NSA surveillance Program leak

Edward Snowden, whistleblower behind the NSA surveillance Program leak

Jun 10, 2013
The individual responsible for one of the most significant leaks in US political history is Edward Snowden , a 29-year-old former technical assistant for the CIA and current employee of the defence contractor Booz Allen Hamilton . He's a high school dropout who worked his way into the most secretive computers in U.S. intelligence as a defense contractor and identify himself as the source of leaks about US surveillance programmes - PRISM . He is responsible for handing over material from one of the world's most secretive organisations the NSA. Verax was the name he chose for himself, " truth teller " in Latin. In an interview with The Guardian , Snowden publicly revealed himself as the source of documents outlining a massive effort by the U.S. National Security Agency to track cell phone calls and monitor the e-mail and Internet traffic of virtually all Americans.  Before his leak of U.S. intelligence, Snowden was living in paradise, working for a major U.S. go
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