Belgium is investigating an alleged violation of data from its State Security Service (VSSE) by the Chinese government pirates.
In a statement sent to britcommerce on Friday, the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office said an investigation into a cyber attack in November 2023 after he learned of the alleged violation.
This confirms an earlier report from the Belgian newspaper in French language Soirwho reported that a Chinese piracy group obtained access to the external mail server of the Intelligence Service between 2021 and 2023.
According to the reports, the Nameless Chinese piracy group exploded a vulnerability in the US cyber security firm software. UU. Barracuda. The critical qualification defect, which Barracuda first disclosed in May 2023, impacts the gateway email safety device (ESG) of the company, a firewall to filter incoming and outgoing emails for potentially malicious content.
Barracuda spokesman Lesley Sullivan told britcommerce that “the questions regarding VSSE infractions are addressed more appropriately to VSSE.” VSSE did not answer britcommerce’s questions.
Security researchers at the United States cyber security firm He said previously Vulnerability, which could allow computer pirates to be extinguished to confidential corporate data, had been exploited as a zero day by a cyber group backed by China to attack organizations around the world. Almost a third of objective organizations were government agencies, according to Mandiant.
Although a patch for vulnerability was launched, Barracuda in June 2023 urged all customers affected to replace ESG appliances affected by vulnerability. He also advised customers to rotate any credential connected to appliances and verify the signs of commitment dating from at least October 2022.
As Soir, the computer pirates backed by China exploded the barracuda defect to exfiltrate 10% of the incoming and outgoing emails of the Belgian Intelligence Service. He points out that although the classified information was not affected, the personal data of almost half of the VSSE employees was accessed, including identity documents, curriculum and internal communications.
According to the reports, VSSE suspended its use of Barracuda products after cyberattack, which was first reported by local media in July 2023.
Zack Whittaker contributed reports.