Hackers used Kaspersky AV to steal NSA secrets: report
Russian hackers allegedly used Kaspersky Lab antivirus software to help steal details of the US National Security Agency’s (NSA) cyber spying tools from an agency contractor’s personal computer, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
According to the report, which cites unnamed sources, the hackers were able to access the information after the contractor transferred highly classified documents detailing the exploits to a computer running the antivirus software.
The theft is believed to have occurred in 2015 but not discovered until the following year. It reportedly involved details of how the NSA penetrates foreign computer networks and defends networks inside the US.
The report states that it is unclear whether Kaspersky Lab cooperated with the Russian hackers or how the hackers were able to obtain the information from the antivirus product.
The allegations are significant in light of the recent decision by the US Department of Homeland Security to ban all US government departments or agencies from using Kaspersky Labs products on their systems, due to concerns over potential links between Kaspersky Lab, founded by Russian-born Eugene Kaspersky, and the Russian government.
If the report is accurate, it could be one of the motivations behind the decision to issue the ban order.
But in a statement, Eugene Kaspersky again strongly denied having any inappropriate ties to the Russian or any other government, and reiterated his assertion that the company is being caught in the middle of a geopolitical fight between parts of the US government and Russia.
“Kaspersky Lab has not been provided any evidence substantiating the company’s involvement in the alleged incident... and it is unfortunate that news coverage of unproven claims continue to perpetuate accusations about the company,” he said.
“We make no apologies for being aggressive in the battle against malware and cybercriminals... It’s also important to note that Kaspersky Lab products adhere to the cybersecurity industry’s strict standards and have similar levels of access and privileges to the systems they protect as any other popular security vendor in the US and around the world.”
The AI regulation debate in Australia: navigating risks and rewards
To remain competitive in the world economy, Australia needs to find a way to safely use AI systems.
Strategies for navigating Java vulnerabilities
Java remains a robust and widely adopted platform for enterprise applications, but staying ahead...
Not all cyber risk is created equal
The key to mitigating cyber exposure lies in preventing breaches before they happen.
