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New breed of nation-state hackers keep governments on their toes (IANS Special)
New Delhi, March 7 (IANS) Cyber attacks are growing exponentially and the threat of data breaches now loom over both government and private enterprises owing to new nation-state hackers coming to the fore.
North Korea leads the race in harbouring such groups for cyber warfare.
North Korea’s hacking branch is known as “Bureau 121” which is behind several high-profile cyber attacks, including the most famous “Wannacry” ransomware attack.
The “WannaCry” began in May 2017 as a global cyber attack which targeted computers by encrypting data and demanding ransom payments in the Bitcoin cryptocurrency.
The attack was estimated to have affected more than 200,000 computers across 150 countries including in India – with damages running into millions of dollars.
They were also responsible for a massive data leak at Sony Pictures in 2014.
Cyber security firm FireEye pays special attention to advanced persistent threats (APT) groups that receive direction and support from an established nation state.
Like other attackers, APT groups try to steal data, disrupt operations or destroy infrastructure. Unlike most cyber criminals, APT attackers pursue their objectives over months or years.
“APT38” is another North Korean regime-backed threat group responsible for conducting the largest observed cyber heists.
Although APT38 shares malware development resources and North Korean state sponsorship with a group referred to by the security community as “Lazarus”, APT38’s financial motivation, unique toolset, and tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) are distinct enough for them to be tracked separately from other North Korean cyber activity, says FireEye.
“APT38” has conducted operations in over 16 organisations in at least 11 countries.
High-profile organisations in engineering, transportation and defence industries, particularly with links to the maritime sector, are being targeted by China-based “APT 40”. The group has been active since at least January 2013.
“Anonymous” is another known hacking group. Starting operations in 2003, they initially hacked into smaller social networking sites.
On August 9, 2014, Michael Brown Jr., an 18-year-old African American man, was fatally shot by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the city of Ferguson, Missouriin the US.
“Anonymous” shut down Ferguson City Hall’s Internet following the shooting. In 2011, they took down the PlayStation Network and stole user data.
Fancy Bear is a hacking group associated with the Russian government and appears to support its cyber warfare activities.
“Despite being one of the most disruptive hackers in the world, Fancy Bear almost never takes credit for their own work,” say media reports.
When it comes to Middle Eastern hacker groups with destructive capabilities, many think of the suspected Iranian group that previously used SHAMOON – aka Disttrack – to target organizations in the Persian Gulf.
“However, over the past few years, we have been tracking a separate, less widely known suspected Iranian group with potential destructive capabilities, whom we call APT33,” says FireEye.
The analysis reveals that APT33 is a capable group that has carried out cyber espionage operations since at least 2013 “at the behest of the Iranian government”.
APT33 has targeted organisations – spanning multiple industries – headquartered in the US, Saudi Arabia and South Korea.
–IANS
na/prs
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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