- Hackers stole 182GB of Protei data, including years of email correspondence
- Protei creates DPI and SORM monitoring tools for governments and telecom operators around the world
- Attackers defaced site, signaling opposition to Russian surveillance ecosystem
Protei, a Russian company suspected of selling surveillance equipment to nation states, was recently hacked and had gigabytes of corporate data stolen.
An unknown individual (or entity) broke into Protei on or around November 8 and damaged the site. Shortly afterward, they shared a copy of the stolen data with DDoSecrets, a nonprofit transparency organization that indexes data leaked, hacked, or otherwise exposed in the public interest, and which is often compared to WikiLeaks for leaking vast data sets involving governments, law enforcement, and corporations.
The copy is 182 GB and includes email correspondence “going back years.”
Hacktivism
Protei is a Russian telecommunications and technology company, known for building core network systems, deep packet inspection tools and “Safe City” monitoring platforms. It sells software and hardware solutions to mobile operators and government customers in Russia and abroad, and also develops systems associated with SORM, Russia’s Lawful Interception Framework.
Since this solution allows authorities to monitor communications, Protei is often described as part of the Russian surveillance ecosystem.
The identity of the attackers is unknown, but they appear to be hacktivists. Although the site was defaced, it carried a message saying: “another DPI/SORM vendor bites the dust.”
SORM is currently used in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Nicaragua and Cuba. Telecommunications companies and ISPs can install it on their equipment, giving government agencies the ability to listen in on calls, read text messages, and monitor web browsing data.
Deep-packet inspection (DPI) devices serve as censorship tools because they allow telecommunications operators to filter web traffic and selectively block access to different sites.
Generally speaking, Protei is a Russian company, but it operates from Jordan and claims to have over 400 customers worldwide. These customers would be located in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Central Asia and Europe.
Via TechCrunch
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