Hack Exposes Secret Data Regarding Defense Systems of Australia

Hackers have got away with secret data regarding newly-launched surveillance aircrafts, navy vessels and fighter jets stored on the system of a defense contractor of Australian government. The thieves managed getting complete and unrestricted admission into the data over 4 months in 2016 prior to notification to ASD (Australian Signals Directorate) of the hack during November.

The hack was of details on C130 Hercules aircraft and F-35 Joint Striker Fighter. All the stolen data had high commercial value though wasn't classified, revealed Australian government. Nothing was clear whether the hack was any nation state sponsored.

The cyber-security professionals in Australia named the unknown hacker "Alf" derived from one of the 'Home and Away' TV soap's characters. The attack started during July 2016 before an alert issued to ASD four months later. Nobody knows who the hackers were.

In an interview to the Australian Broadcasting Corp, October 12, Christopher Pyne Defense Industry Minister said the hackers could be among numerous different players. They could represent some nation state alternatively any non-state actor. They might also be representing some organization. According to Pyne, he'd gotten assured the loss of the data to cyber attackers didn't pose any danger to the nation's security. Bbc.com posted this, October 12, 2017.

Incident Response Manager Mitchell Clarke at ASD dealing with the case said the secret data's control happened to be under the International Traffic in Arms

Regulations, an agency in USA for the regulation of defense as well as military-related technology exports.

The first report of the breach occurred October 10 within the Threat Report of 2017 by the Australian Cyber Security Center. At that time no revelation was made. Evidently, the victim happened to be one small Australian firm having supplier connections of projects on national security. Gaining a long time admission into the network, the attackers managed stealing an enormous volume of data.

Australia has over 4,000 businesses in the defense industry. The government necessitates better cyber security maintenance by such businesses when partnering with it. The latest incident also plays a reminding role for people that their cyber security is very important.

» SPAMfighter News - 10/18/2017