Gardai Hack

L.Jenkins

Surprised no one has mentioned this yet. http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0807/807535-garda-hacking/

It doesn't go into much detail, but I'm curious to know why anyone might target the Gardai.

YellowLead

Just to prove they can, as a challenge - that's about it I would reckon

ItHurtsWhenIP

Most likely a ransomware incident according to this.

But the lads over at WWN may have it figured out.

syklops

MMFITWGDV wrote: »

Most likely a ransomware incident according to this.

Nowhere in that article mentions malware.

Skrynesaver

The Gardai would have "interesting" information and now with Norín cracking down on leaks to journalists... Paul McWilliams can't make up everything now can he

What's known of the exploit? I've heard/read that a 0-day exploit was used, that unusual usage patterns were caught, that Garda email was shut down but nothing from a reliable source, just INM and RTE whose Garda reporting is pretty much dictation.

ItHurtsWhenIP

syklops wrote: »

Nowhere in that article mentions malware.

While the term malware is not mentioned, ransomware is ... a few times. And this section is titled Malicious software, which contracts to malware, so it's kinda implied. :rolleyes:

Edit: I just searched the article and malware IS actually used twice in other parts.

Malicious software

A leading IT security expert said the attempted hack of An Garda Síochána’s systems was likely to have been a so-called ransomware attack, in which malicious software denies access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid.

IT security expert Brian Honan of BH Consulting said there was not enough information about what had happened but his “best guess” was that the Garda systems had been hit by ransomware.

"From reading what’s available, this does not seem to me to be a targeted attack. It looks to be an infection by a previously unknown computer virus, and is probably likely to be a ransomware type of attack.”

“There is a lot of speculation that this is a targeted attack and that it was using zero-day [previously undisclosed] vulnerabilities, but this is a good example from an incident response point of view as to why clear and unambiguous communication is important to allay speculation and fears.”

Mr Honan said that if it had been a targeted attack, this was very hard to defend against but the impact of such an attack could be much greater.

IamMetaldave

You'd swear it was a serious attack the way the media first reported in on the radio.

syklops

MMFITWGDV wrote: »

Edit: I just searched the article and malware IS actually used twice in other parts.

Apologies. I may have had drink taken when I made that comment.

ItHurtsWhenIP

syklops wrote: »

Apologies. I may have had drink taken when I made that comment.

Nay bother. It was a rather late hour of the night!!! :D;)