A major Russian hacker group called Klop has released confidential information from British police on the dark web. that report daily Mail, The group stole data from Dacol, the IT company that manages Police National Computer (PNC), among other things.
Klopp is notorious for infecting its targets with ransomware and Naming and Shaming About its victims on the Tor Leaks website. The group has stolen millions of dollars over the past two years by hacking ransomware.
Klopp releases data after denial of ransom
According to daily Mail Klopp attacked IT company Dacol with a phishing campaign, after which he gained access to its data. Klopp also gained access to PNC, a UK-wide database for the storage and exchange of criminal records information. This database contains personal data of more than 13 million people.
Klopp demanded a ransom from Ducall, but the company refused to pay it. As a result, hackers leaked information on the dark web. It mainly deals with traffic information. For example, close-up images of motorists driving at very high speeds have been leaked. These photos are from the UK’s National Automatic Number Plate Recognition System (ANPR).
DaColl did not disclose how much the hackers demanded the ransom. Beyond that, it’s not clear what other information Klopp has.
Incident raises concerns about sensitive law enforcement data handling
According to cyber security experts, data breach is a matter of serious concern. Security expert and former British military intelligence colonel Philip Ingram said: “This is a very serious breach of a company that provides capabilities to police forces across the UK.”
“The damage caused by this type of data breach is beyond comprehension as it calls into question the cyber security arrangements that exist between many public and private organizations to manage sensitive law enforcement data,” Ingram said.
NDI Technologies, a subsidiary of Dacol, allows agents to access PNC remotely. As a result, the company provides an essential service to 90 percent of British police forces, writes daily Mail,
Statement by Dacol
Ducall’s spokesperson gave a brief statement about the incident. The spokesperson confirmed that the company was the victim of a cyber incident and was able to return to normal operating levels quickly. “The incident was limited to an internal network that was not connected to any of our customers’ networks or services,” the spokesperson said.
Cybercriminals are increasingly turning to phishing campaigns to steal personal information, banking details, and more. Recently, cybercriminals have targeted Netflix users in an attempt to steal their payment information. In recent months, another Russian hacker group, Revil, has been in the news for several attacks. Ultimately, US officials were able to identify the gang leaders.
