Indian Embassy's Systems in Moscow Hacked to Target Rosoboronexport

The Indian embassy’s network systems in Moscow were hacked to launch a cyber attack on Russian arms exporting agency, Rosoboronexport, if a claim by group calling itself the ‘Russian Cyber Command’ (RCC) is to be believed.

The attack was launched earlier this week to steal some 1000 documents concerning Rosoboronexport’s dealings with India and other countries which import arms from Russia.

The documents posted on Cyberguerrilla.org, seem credible enough if going by a sample of the documents which the RCC displayed including confidential correspondence between India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Rosoboronexport and other Russian agencies.

After hacking into the Indian embassy’s networks, the RCC sent a maliciously crafted e-mail to the CEO of Rosoboronexport to infect not only the company but other Russian arms companies such as Sukhoi, Oboronprom, Gazflot, Rusal and Veles Capital.

“Taken into consideration recent Russian Government delusional attempts to start WWIII, we – Free from Putin – people of Russian Federation - Free computer renegades and outlaws from IT Security – have decided to initiate a true domestic CyberWar on Russian Military Enterprises and eventually we shall deliver critical infrastructure companies on which Russian Putin’s Empire stands on.” , the statement on Cyberguerilla.org said.

It is not immediately known to what extent the security of the Indian embassy or Roe and other Russian entities was compromised.

“While it cannot yet be confirmed that Russia is, in fact, conducting cyber operations in the Crimean Peninsula, the international community should carefully monitor the situation. As the crisis develops, there are a number of indicators that would demonstrate that Russia is pursuing a cyberstrategy similar to the one it used in Georgia,” they explained.

Valentyn Nalivaichenko, the head of Ukraine's SBU security service, has confirmed that the members of the Ukrainian parliament have been targeted in an “IP-telephonic attack” for two days in a row.

According to Reuters, Nalivaichenko revealed that illegal equipment was installed at telecoms firm Ukrtelecom at the entrance to Crimea in an effort to block the communications of officials, regardless of their political affiliation.