Russian cyber spies are clearly leaving no stone unturned when it comes to obtaining secret information about the latest military technologies.
According to an investigation by Secureworks and the Associated Press, from March 2015 to May 2016, at least 87 employees of corresponding companies fell victim to phishing attacks in which sensitive data on current high-tech developments in the area of drones and rockets were transmitted via email or stealth jets could be stolen. The hacker group “Fancy Bear” was identified as the culprit and is said to have had a hand in the last US election.
Group active since 2008
“‘Fancy Bear is a very professional hacker group that has been active since 2008 and – as the current investigation confirms – is primarily targeting high-profile targets such as military facilities or government agencies worldwide,” explains Christian Funk, Head of Global Research & Analysis Team at Kaspersky Lab , upon request from pressetext. At security companies, the cyber criminals are also known under other names such as “Sofacy”, “Sednit”, “STRONTIUM” or “APT28”. “Security companies have had this group on their radar since 2013,” says Funk.
According to the expert, it is difficult to say who exactly is behind it.
“These people are of course trying very hard to cover their tracks,” emphasizes Funk.
However, individual fragments in Cyrillic script have already been found, which indicate that they came from Russia. “But that could also mean that a false trail was deliberately laid here,” says the Kaspersky researcher.
40 percent clicked on phishing emails
According to Secureworks and the Associated Press, several well-known defense and technology companies are said to have been affected by cyber espionage activities. Mentioned include Lockheed Martin Corp., Raytheon Co, the Boeing Company, the Airbus Group and General Atomics.
“This high value shows once again how important it is to prepare your staff for such dangers with regular safety training,” says Funk.
Employees play an important role, especially when it comes to protecting extremely sensitive data.
“If you have any doubts or suspect that you have fallen victim to a hacking attack, you should not hesitate and report the incident immediately. This has to become part of the company culture. “The quicker you react, the easier it is to limit the damage,” says the expert.
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