By Ben Kerrigan-
Police in Ireland have launched a probe after hackers tried to break into the force’s network, The eye of media.com has heard from sources in Ireland.
Police officials were forced to temporarily shut down many of their systems to safeguard the data of both staff and the public. The hackers have not been caught, but the police force says it’s website and pulse data base were not affected.
Computer experts say the attack was carried out by a “new strain of malware previously unseen by its technical experts.This shows that hackers with advanced mechanisms of infiltrating computer systems, though luckily, they are not advanced enough not to successfully penetrate secure systems all the time.
Threat
Computer and Internet hackers pose a threat to the safety of sensitive data, but efficient security codes th else days can counteract them.Exactly why the hackers attempted to get into police data is unclear.
Investigators believe they may have been trying to access information there and tamper with police data. Hackers are known to have as their objectives, the stealing of information and the disruption of the smooth flow of the systems they are hacking or trying to hack.
A spokesperson for the Irish police force gave a statement to the eye of media.com that read:
Garda Siochana identified a zero day malware threat on one of our systems.
“Heightened security procedures were implemented and standard protocols were enforced across all Garda IT environments to limit any effect on our systems. Working with security experts the threat was identified and an appropriate solution was implemented across all Garda Siochana IT systems.”
The spokesperson added: “An Garda Siochana are continuing our investigation into the incident. The Computer Crime Unit at the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation are investigating the source of this malware.”
The vulnerability, according to the spokesperson is said to have been caused by a hole in the software, unknown to the vendor, but exploited by the attacker
When asked to elaborate more on the specific strain of malware and provide further details about the suspected “zero-day” – vulnerability caused by a hole in software that is unknown to the vendor but is exploited by the attacker – the press officer said: “We have nothing to add to our statement.”
In a recently-related five-year plan, the Garda announced it was being forced to restructure its cyber crime divisions to help deal with a “backlog of cases”.
Only recently, the Garda released a document entitled ”Modernization and Renewal Programme” 2016 – 2021,which described how cyberb attacks can have a “devastating impact” on governments, state bodies and critical national infrastructure.
In March, 2015, high-level Garda officials warned about a spate of cyber attacks in the region. Assistant Grads commissioner, Derek Byrneoner, stated in the Irish Times, at the time: “[Cybercrime] is a very fast-growing phenomenon. It reinvents itself every so often, as we’re closing in there’s people all the time inventing new methods and processes to infect.”
“Sometimes people are not aware that they’re working on open networks, and that the criminal networks are out there seeking to infect and take control of their computers.”
The hacking raises awareness of the need for government and organizations to periodically tighten the security of their computer systems and networks.
