Operation socialist: US&UK behind Regin malware to spy on Europe

[viper37]

The sophisticated malware Regin

US&UK behind Regin

Blame the British and American spy agencies for the latest state-sponsored malware attack, say reporters at The Intercept.

The publication, which in the wake of Glenn Greenwald's departure from The Guardian continued to publish documents leaked by Edward Snowden, said on Monday the recently discovered malware, known as Regin, was used against targets in the European Union.

One of those targets included Belgian telecommunications company Belgacom, which had its networks broken into by the British spy agency the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ).

Regin was first publicly talked about over the weekend after Symantec discovered the "sophisticated" malware, though is understood to have been in circulation since 2008.

Compared to Stuxnet, the state-sponsored malware whose creators have never been confirmed, the recently-discovered trojan steals data from machines and networks it infects, disguised as Microsoft software.

Some began to point the finger at Russia and China, but these were quickly discounted by industry experts. Others suspected the U.S. and Israel — a deal already exists that allows the Middle Eastern allied state to access raw and "unchecked" U.S. collected intelligence.

They weren't far off. According to Monday's report, the U.S. working in conjunction with Britain, a European member state (though perhaps not for much longer) attacked Belgacom using the Regin malware.

Though the Belgacom hack was disclosed by Snowden's leaks, the malware used had never been revealed.
The new details from The Intercept show how GCHQ embarked upon its "hacking mission," known as Operation Socialist, by accessing Belgacom's networks in 2010. By targeting engineers through a faked LinkedIn page, GCHQ was able to get deep inside the Internet provider to steal data.

One of Belgacom's main clients was the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Council of member state leaders.

Exactly how member states of the European Union — there are 28 of them including the U.K. — will react to one of its own member states launching a successful hacking attack against their executive body, remains unknown.

But while members of the Parliament and Commission staff have, over the years, seen the U.S. as one of the greatest threats to the region's data protection and privacy policies, they should have been looking a little closer to home.

Operation Socialist.  Wow.

[Valmy]

Those damn Belgian Socialists had to be stopped.

[Sheilbh]

Good.

[KRonn]

I guess the phrase "keep your enemies close, and your enemies closer" has some merit!

US officials and media have been reporting on malware found throughout US power generating facilities, businesses, various infrastructure facilities and whatever else. Says the malware has been there for a while and could take down the US power grid, causing so much damage that it would take months or more to fix.

[Valmy]

Good.

Which part?

[Sheilbh]

Good.

Which part?

We've always, always spied on the EU and our EU partners (as have the French). Or at least it's always been rumoured and other countries have always private alleged it, British ministers never talk about the intelligence services. Good to know we've kept up to date and GCHQ's involved.

[CountDeMoney]

British ministers never talk about the intelligence services.

Mitt Romney did.     Ah, Mittens.

[jimmy olsen]

US officials and media have been reporting on malware found throughout US power generating facilities, businesses, various infrastructure facilities and whatever else. Says the malware has been there for a while and could take down the US power grid, causing so much damage that it would take months or more to fix.

Link?

[Martinus]

I guess the phrase "keep your enemies close, and your enemies closer" has some merit!

Deliberate pun or a Freudian slip? 

[viper37]

US officials and media have been reporting on malware found throughout US power generating facilities, businesses, various infrastructure facilities and whatever else. Says the malware has been there for a while and could take down the US power grid, causing so much damage that it would take months or more to fix.

Link?

US officials and media have been reporting on malware found throughout US power generating facilities, businesses, various infrastructure facilities and whatever else. Says the malware has been there for a while and could take down the US power grid, causing so much damage that it would take months or more to fix.

Link?

http://www.dailytech.com/Two+US+Power+Plants+Infected+With+USB+Malware+Last+Year/article29682.htm
http://gizmodo.com/stuxnet-like-malware-from-russia-is-attacking-u-s-powe-1598091987