General Electric (GE) is currently investigating a cyberattack on its development environment [4] [6]. A hacker known as “IntelBroker” claims to have breached GE’s security and is attempting to sell allegedly stolen data, including confidential military projects and sensitive information from DARPA [1], the US government’s defense R&D agency [1] [5].
Description
Screenshots of the stolen data [2], including a database from GE Aviation containing military project information [2], have been shared as proof of the breach. GE is taking this situation seriously and is working to verify the claims made by IntelBroker. It is worth noting that GE has experienced previous data breaches [1], including the loss of employee data in 2020 and an ex-employee being sentenced for conspiring to steal aviation trade secrets in 2023 [1].
Experts are concerned that GE’s environment could be used for further attacks on federal agencies [3]. Therefore, it is crucial for companies collaborating with government agencies to prioritize the protection of government-related data [3]. IntelBroker has a history of targeted cyber attacks against delivery services and logistics companies [1], such as a breach of the online grocery delivery platform Weee! [1], which resulted in the leak of customer data [1].
Conclusion
The cyberattack on GE’s development environment has serious implications, particularly if the stolen data includes confidential military projects and sensitive information from DARPA. GE must thoroughly investigate the breach and take appropriate measures to strengthen its security. Additionally, companies collaborating with government agencies should prioritize the protection of government-related data to prevent further attacks. The history of targeted cyber attacks by IntelBroker raises concerns about the potential for future breaches and highlights the need for heightened cybersecurity measures in the industry.
References
[1] https://www.hackread.com/general-electric-security-breach-hackers-darpa-data/
[2] https://em360tech.com/tech-article/general-electric-cyber-attack
[3] https://siliconangle.com/2023/11/27/alleged-ge-hack-raises-concerns-us-national-security/
[4] https://allinfosecnews.com/item/intelbroker-claimed-attack-against-general-electric-probed-2023-11-27–1/
[5] https://www.csoonline.com/article/1249233/ge-investigates-alleged-data-breach-into-confidential-projects-report.html
[6] https://cybermaterial.com/ge-probes-cyber-attack-data-theft/
