NATO Secrets Revealed In Latest Data Breach Of Classified Military Documents From MBDA Missile Systems

MBDA Missile Systems is one of the largest weapons makers in the world  

BBC: Nato investigates hacker sale of missile firm data 

Nato is assessing the impact of a data breach of classified military documents being sold by a hacker group online. 

The data includes blueprints of weapons being used by Nato allies in the Ukraine conflict. 

Criminal hackers are selling the dossiers after stealing data linked to a major European weapons maker. MBDA Missile Systems admitted its data was among the stash but claimed none of the classified files belong to the firm. 

The pan-European company, which is headquartered in France, said its information was hacked from a compromised external hard drive, adding that it was cooperating with authorities in Italy, where the data breach took place. 

 It is understood investigations are centred around one of MBDA's suppliers.  

Read more ....  

Update #1: Major scandal: How "NATO secret" was revealed (B92)  

Update #2: Hackers sell NATO secrets – BBC (RT)  

WNU Editor: This is embarrassing. MBDA was only refuting hacking claims only a few weeks ago .... Missile Maker MBDA Refutes Hacking Allegations (Info Security).

White House Holds A Global Ransomware Summit Without Russia Or China

 

Daily Mail: White House schedules a global ransomware summit WITHOUT Russia or China - despite saying they are the worst offenders in a global hacking epidemic that has cost $400M 

* 30 nations met virtually to discuss ransomware attacks on Wednesday morning 

* The White House did not invite Russia, which is behind many of the attacks 

* 'In this particular forum they were not invited to participate,' said an official 

* Also missing was the world's second biggest economy, China 

* The U.S. government said cyber ransoms totaled more than $400M last year 

Russia was not invited to attend a 30-country virtual meeting to discuss ransomware on Wednesday, according to a senior Biden administration official. 

The country hosts many of the hacker syndicates believed to be behind an epidemic of global attacks that cost $400 million in payments last year but will not be part of a White House-led effort to find new strategies to counter the threat. 

 'We are having active discussions with the Russians, but in this particular forum they were not invited to participate,' said a senior administration official. 

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WNU Editor: This two day summit ends today. 

More News On The White House Holding A Global Ransomware Summit  

White House kicks off 2-day meeting to rally world leaders in push against ransomware -- Yahoo News 

World leaders recognize ransomware attacks as 'global security threat' -- The Hill  

US calls on Russia to do more to crack down on ransomware groups as White House hosts meeting with allies -- CNN  

US, allies to promise ‘disruptive action’ against ransomware gangs -- Politico  

US hosts global cybersecurity meeting — without Russia -- DW  

Russia left out of White House's 30-country ransomware summit -- Axios

Microsoft Says Russia Was Behind 58% Of All State-Sponsored Hacking In The Last Year. China For Less Than 10%

Russia was behind 58 per cent of all state-sponsored hacking in the last year, Microsoft has revealed, with China responsible for less than 10 per cent  

Daily Mail: Russia was behind 58% of all state-sponsored hacking in the last year, Microsoft reveals, with China responsible for less than 10% 

* Russia often targeted government agencies and think tanks in the United States 

* Hackers in Russia also targeted Ukraine, Britain, and European NATO members 

* China did under 10 per cent of hacks but was successful 44 per cent of the time Russia was behind 58 percent of all state-sponsored hacking in the last year, Microsoft has revealed, with China responsible for less than 10 percent. 

Russia mostly targeted government agencies and think tanks in the U.S., followed by Ukraine, Britain and European NATO members, the company said. 

The devastating effectiveness of the long-undetected SolarWinds hack - it mainly breached information technology businesses including Microsoft - also boosted Russian state-backed hackers' success rate to 32 percent in the year ending June 30, compared with 21 percent in the preceding 12 months.  

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More News On Microsoft Saying Russia Was Behind 58% Of All State-Sponsored Hacking In The Last Year  

Microsoft: Russia Responsible For Majority Of State-Backed Cyberattacks Last Year -- RFE  

More than half of state-backed cyberattacks have come from Russia, according to Microsoft -- Euronews  

Russian state-backed hackers having greater success at breaching foreign government targets, Microsoft says -- CNN  

Microsoft: More than half of all nation-state cyberattacks come from Russia -- Techspot

This Russian Web Security Expert Says Russians Are The ‘Best & Most Sophisticated Hackers’

Evgeny Kaspersky © Sputnik / Evgeny Biyatov  

RT: ‘Everyone is attacking everyone’ online, but Russians are ‘best & most sophisticated hackers,’ says web security expert Kaspersky  

When it comes to the internet, countries are constantly attacking each other, and cybercriminals are in every single nation. That’s according to Eugene Kaspersky, the Russian founder and CEO of IT security company Kaspersky Lab. 

Speaking to Moscow daily Kommersant on Tuesday, Kaspersky explained that not everything should be blamed on ‘Russian hackers’, but they are some of the most skillful cybercriminals. 

“In fact, everyone is attacking everyone,” he said. “The main victims, of course, are developed countries because there is more to steal. But there are cybercriminals everywhere – some places have more, some have less.” 

In particular, Kaspersky noted that there are very few American hackers because of the competence of the FBI. However, other countries, such as China and Russia, have a very developed cybercrime industry.  

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WNU Editor: He is right that when it comes to the internet, countries are constantly attacking each other and that cyber-criminals are in every single nation. 

But when it comes to state players, the U.S. government with its intelligence agencies, coupled with help from big tech, are the best hackers and cyber warfare specialists around.

Did China Launch A Successful Cyber-Attack Against Russia's Top Submarine Design Bureau?

A copy of the image into which the malware had been embedded, which was then sent to Rubin's Director-General Vilnit. The system shown is similar, if not identical to an unmanned underwater vehicle Rubin has been developing called Cephalopod. via Cybereason  

Warzone/The Drive: Top Russian Submarine Design Bureau Hit By Cyber Attack With Chinese Characteristics 

The Rubin Design Bureau has designed ballistic missile submarines, among other types, as well as advanced unmanned underwater vehicles. Russia's Rubin Design Bureau was the target of a cyber attack involving an image file with malicious software embedded inside it via a specific tool that has become a hallmark of multiple entities linked to the Chinese government. The file could have been used to create a backdoor into the networks at Rubin, a prolific designer of submarines and other underwater platforms. Its portfolio includes the ultra-quiet Borei class ballistic missile submarine, the unique Belgorod and Losharik special missions submarines, and the Poseidon nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed ultra-long-range 'doomsday' torpedo, among other work. 

Cybersecurity firm Cybereason first reported on the attack on April 30, 2021, but it's unclear when it was actually carried out. Metadata that the company provided along with its analysis says that the Rich Text Format (RTF) image in question was created in 2007, but the report says that this is almost certainly false and meant to help obfuscate its origins. Other portions of the metadata indicate that it was first accessed earlier in April, but that may just be when Cybereason first opened it up to assess it. It's also not clear if the attack was successful in any way.  

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WNU Editor: The Chinese are well known to conduct cyber operations against foreign governments and companies. Just because a company is Russian will not give it a pass.

Russian Hackers Suspected Of Stealing Thousands Of US State Department Emails

Daily Mail: Russians suspected of 'stealing thousands of State Department emails' in latest hack targeting U.S. government 

 * The cyber attack follows a similar breach carried out by the Russians in 2015 

 * They gained access to the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs 

 * The hack comes after an espionage campaign targeting SolarWinds software 

Russian hackers are suspected of stealing thousands of State Department emails last year, two Congressional sources have revealed. 

The cyber attack is the second breach of the department's email server in a decade carried out by Russians. 

The hackers gained access to emails from the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, according to Politico. 

Read more .... 

Update #1: Russia suspected of stealing thousands of State Department emails (Politico) 

Update #2: Russian hackers reportedly stole thousands of State Department emails (NYPost) 

WNU editor: Russian media has responded .... Here We Go Again: 'Russian Hackers' Reportedly Suspected of Stealing US State Department Emails (Sputnik).

U.S. Cyber Attack News Updates -- December 18, 2020

 

Daily Mail: Microsoft identifies AT LEAST 40 government agencies and companies targeted in 'nine-month long Russian' hack that breached US nuclear agencies and warns it will rise 'substantially' - as feds say attack poses 'grave threat' 

 * Microsoft has already identified at least 40 government agencies and companies targeted in the massive suspected Russian hack 

 * The software titan said that 80 percent of the victims it has uncovered so far are in the United States and warns that number will rise 'substantially' 

 * It did not reveal the names of those infiltrated by hackers but said nearly half were tech companies

 * Two US agencies responsible for maintaining America's nuclear weapons stockpile have already said they were compromised in the attack 

 * The attack also breached the Pentagon, FBI, Treasury and State Departments 

 * The nation's cybersecurity agency is warning the attack poses a 'grave threat' to government and private networks 

 * Despite all fingers pointing to Russia as the source of the worst-ever hack of US government agencies, President Donald Trump has been silent 

 * Republican Sen. Mitt Romney savaged Trump on Friday, tweeting that the White House's silence for was 'inexcusable' 

Microsoft says it has already identified at least 40 government agencies and companies targeted in the suspected Russian hack that breached US nuclear agencies in what is being described as the biggest attack in American history. 

The software titan said that 80 percent of the victims it has uncovered so far are in the United States and warns that number will rise 'substantially' as the scope of the sprawling attack continues to unfold. 

A heat map of infections released by Microsoft, which has helped respond to the breach, shows that those infiltrated by the hackers are spread out across the US with agencies, companies and think tanks in New York, Washington DC and Texas among the hardest hit. 

Read more .... 

 U.S. Cyber Attack News Updates -- December 18, 2020 

Massive cyberattack grows beyond US, heightening fears -- AFP 

Energy Dept., nuclear weapons agency breached in 'remarkable' cyberattack -- UPI 

Cyberattack on US Department of Energy a 'grave threat' -- DW 

US intelligence agencies confirm ‘significant and ongoing’ hack into government networks -- France 24 

US cybersecurity agency warns of 'grave threat' after 'critical infrastructure' hacked -- ABC News (Australia) 

Hack Against US Is 'Grave' Threat, Cybersecurity Agency Says -- Military.com/Canadian Press 

US cyber-attack: US energy department confirms it was hit by Sunburst hack -- BBC 

US scrambling to understand fallout of suspected Russia hack -- The Guardian 

With Trump silent, reprisals for hacks may fall to Biden -- AP