Western intelligence agencies infiltrated Yandex and planted malware called Regin. The purpose of the malware was to gather user data from the Yandex search engine database. The malware was found and removed after a month.
According to Reuters various intelligence agencies in the West, associated with the Five Eyes Alliance that includes Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K., and the U.S., were responsible for infiltrating and planting the malware.
Regin was reportedly active between October, 2018 and November, 2018.
According to Yandex spokesperson Ilya Grabovsky…
“This particular attack was detected at a very early stage by the Yandex security team. It was fully neutralized before any damage was done,” […] “the Yandex security team’s response ensured that no user data was compromised by the attack.”
While “damage” may not have been done, one must question how much user data the software was able to expose to the Western intelligence agencies?
According to the report the Regin malware was identified as a Five Eyes tool from back in 2014 as noted in reports during Edward Snowden’s initial leaks, which included methods the U.S,. and foreign governments used to spy on everyday citizens and even gamers via devices like Xbox Kinect, as noted in a Cinema Blend piece from back in 2015. This was also confirmed by a Kaspersky investigation, which confirmed the use of Regin and claimed that it was executed by hackers associated with Western intelligence agencies. The agencies nor countries were ever identified.
What’s interesting is that while various news organizations have been clamoring to a now debunked narrative that it was Russia doing the hacking of U.S., services, but quite the opposite could be true.
Back in 2007 CNET even did an article about this calling it “Fedware”, which is hacking tools used to spy on users on behalf of federal agencies.
It appears as if it’s not something that will go away anytime soon.
What’s worse is all of these nation states demanding additional censorship while they pilfer user data. The United Nations Secretary General even made a public announcement on June 18th, 2019 claiming that they were devising a strategy and plan of action to combat “hate speech”.
In the statement, the U.N., wrote…
“The recent emergence of volunteer groups that are organizing to counter harassment and hate online shows the potential for collaboration. The proposals set out last week by the High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation can play a part. New forms of self-policing by social media platforms, and the commitments included in the Christchurch Call, are another welcome development.
“Our Action Plan goes beyond New York; it includes ways in which Country Teams and Missions around the world can take action to defend the truth and counter hate speech. And it goes beyond the United Nations; it must engage Governments, civil society, the private sector and other partners.
“United Nations agencies and offices have pledged to enhance their cooperation based on the commitments set out in the Strategy. I have also asked them to prepare their own plans, aligned with this Strategy and in coordination with my Special Envoy for the Prevention of Genocide. “
In combination with the Christchurch Call, and other draconian measures to basically spy on, censor, restrict, and arrest people based on what they say, do, or even share online, it should be worrying to people that even beyond spy-heavy services like Google your data still isn’t safe from the prying eyes of Big Brother when using foreign search engines.
(Thanks for the news tip npcomplete and ASDF)
