EU Investigates Hack of “Thousands” of Diplomatic Cables
Ami Rojkes Dombe
| 20/12/2018
https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/strasbourg-shootings_2802_pk
Hackers infiltrated the European Union’s diplomatic communications network for years, downloading thousands of cables that reveal concerns about an unpredictable Trump administration and struggles to deal with Russia and China and the risk that Iran would revive its nuclear program, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.
The techniques that the hackers deployed over a three-year period resembled those long used by an elite unit of China’s People’s Liberation Army. The cables were copied from the secure network and posted to an open internet site that the hackers set up in the course of their attack, according to Area 1, the firm that discovered the breach. Area 1, which was founded by three former officials of the National Security Agency, made more than 1,100 of the hacked EU cables available to The NYT.
The hackers also infiltrated the networks of the United Nations, the AFL-CIO, and ministries of foreign affairs and finance worldwide.
The UN “has no information about a possible cyber breach at the UN allegedly carried out by Chinese hackers,” said a spokesman, Stephane Dujarric de la Riviere. He said cyberattacks are “only reported internally, and for most incidents, the United Nations does not have sufficient information to conclusively attribute such attacks.”
Some of the more than 100 organizations and institutions were targeted years ago. But many were not aware of the breach until a few days ago when some were alerted by Area 1.
In a statement on Tuesday night, the EU’s secretariat said it “is aware of allegations regarding a potential leak of sensitive information and is actively investigating the issue.”
https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/strasbourg-shootings_2802_pk
Hackers infiltrated the European Union’s diplomatic communications network for years, downloading thousands of cables that reveal concerns about an unpredictable Trump administration and struggles to deal with Russia and China and the risk that Iran would revive its nuclear program, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.
The techniques that the hackers deployed over a three-year period resembled those long used by an elite unit of China’s People’s Liberation Army. The cables were copied from the secure network and posted to an open internet site that the hackers set up in the course of their attack, according to Area 1, the firm that discovered the breach. Area 1, which was founded by three former officials of the National Security Agency, made more than 1,100 of the hacked EU cables available to The NYT.
The hackers also infiltrated the networks of the United Nations, the AFL-CIO, and ministries of foreign affairs and finance worldwide.
The UN “has no information about a possible cyber breach at the UN allegedly carried out by Chinese hackers,” said a spokesman, Stephane Dujarric de la Riviere. He said cyberattacks are “only reported internally, and for most incidents, the United Nations does not have sufficient information to conclusively attribute such attacks.”
Some of the more than 100 organizations and institutions were targeted years ago. But many were not aware of the breach until a few days ago when some were alerted by Area 1.
In a statement on Tuesday night, the EU’s secretariat said it “is aware of allegations regarding a potential leak of sensitive information and is actively investigating the issue.”
