In today’s world, multiple categories of hackers have come into existence, such as – BlackHat, WhiteHat, GreyHat, State-sponsored, Hacktivists and others. While most of the categories of hackers have monetary or personal motivations, there are two categories with different motivational factors – State-sponsored and Hacktivists.
State-sponsored hackers – They are appointed by the government to gain confidential information from other countries to stay at the top or to avoid any kind of danger to the country
Hacktivist: It is a hacker or a group of anonymous hackers who gain unauthorized access to government’s computer files and networks for social or political cause. These are also called the online versions of the activists.
Recently, our researchers came across a post shared by Spectre123, where an unknown entity has allegedly leaked the sensitive documents of NATO and Havelsan (Turkish Military/defence manufacturer).
The leaked data contains multiple SoWs, contracts, proposals, 3d designs, resumes, excel sheets containing raw materials information, financial statements, and other sensitive documents.
Based on the message body of the leak, the cyber attack indicates hacktivism, but last year, around May 23, 2019, UK warned NATO allies of hacking activities of Russia Also, in September 2020, it was reported that Russian hackers targeted government agencies in NATO member countries, and nations who cooperate with NATO These events ensue an unsatisfying narrative – Is it really hacktivism or cyber espionage?
This story is developing and will be updated
About Cyble
Cyble is a global threat intelligence SaaS provider that helps enterprises protect themselves from cybercrimes and exposure in the darkweb. Cyble’s prime focus is to provide organizations with real-time visibility into their digital risk footprint. Backed by Y Combinator as part of the 2021 winter cohort, Cyble has also been recognized by Forbes as one of the top 20 Best Cybersecurity Startups To Watch In 2020. Headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, and with offices in Australia, Singapore, and India, Cyble has a global presence. To learn more about Cyble, visit www.cyble.io.
