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posted by Fnord666 on Tuesday February 20 2018, @12:46AM   Printer-friendly
from the We-have-always-been-at-war-with-Eurasia dept.

For a moment, it seemed the hackers had slipped up and exposed their identities. It was the summer of 2013, and European investigators were looking into an unprecedented breach of Belgium's telecommunications infrastructure. They believed they were on the trail of the people responsible. But it would soon become clear that they were chasing ghosts – fake names that had been invented by British spies.

[...] The covert operation was the first documented example of a European Union member state hacking the critical infrastructure of another. The malware infection triggered a massive cleanup operation within Belgacom, which has since renamed itself Proximus. The company – of which the Belgian government is the majority owner – was forced to replace thousands of its computers at a cost of several million Euros. Elio di Rupo, Belgium's then-prime minister, was furious, calling the hack a "violation." Meanwhile, one of the country's top federal prosecutors opened a criminal investigation into the intrusion.

The criminal investigation has remained open for more than four years, but no details about its activities have been made public. Now, following interviews with five sources close to the case, The Intercept – in collaboration with Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant – has gained insight into the probe and uncovered new information about the scope of the hack.

Interesting both from the technical and the political viewpoints, this episode could have unexpected results for the future. Despite the egregious misuse of "hack" and related words.


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 20 2018, @01:19AM (17 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 20 2018, @01:19AM (#640381)

    The EU isn't sure if it wants to be a nation or not. It works about as well as the pre-Constitution USA did under the Articles of Confederation, which is to say it is severely disfunctional.

    Having part of the EU in Five Eyes is broken. The EU could be one country in Five Eyes, or as seems likely it could lose the UK.

    • (Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Tuesday February 20 2018, @01:24AM (14 children)

      by PartTimeZombie (4827) on Tuesday February 20 2018, @01:24AM (#640385)

      It won't matter once the UK leaves the EU.

      The idiot Conservatives in charge keep saying they will negotiate a deal, but they have no leverage, so will have to accept whatever they're offered. Once that happens, British spies will need to be careful where they holiday, if they don't want to get arrested.

      Also, if you think the EU wants to be a nation you don't understand it at all. It also works exactly as it was designed to work.

      • (Score: 2) by Arik on Tuesday February 20 2018, @03:16AM (13 children)

        by Arik (4543) on Tuesday February 20 2018, @03:16AM (#640426) Journal
        "The idiot Conservatives in charge keep saying they will negotiate a deal, but they have no leverage, so will have to accept whatever they're offered."

        That'd be the one thing you're wrong on here I think. They may well be idiots, but they have plenty of leverage. The EU can either take what they offer or get nothing at all.

        --
        If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 20 2018, @04:05AM (4 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 20 2018, @04:05AM (#640451)
          It's the UK that's is in a weak position. From the perspective of the EU the EU needs to make an example of the UK so that others don't take leaving so lightly.

          The UK does a net contribution of 3.5 billion euro to the EU but the other top contributors could easily pay for the UK's share divided among themselves.
          • (Score: 2) by Arik on Tuesday February 20 2018, @04:18AM (3 children)

            by Arik (4543) on Tuesday February 20 2018, @04:18AM (#640458) Journal
            "It's the UK that's is in a weak position. "

            How so?

            "From the perspective of the EU the EU needs to make an example of the UK so that others don't take leaving so lightly."

            Oh, sure, they're *motivated* to stick it the UK, sure. Question is not motivation, it's means. They have no stick. What are they going to do? Cry until the UK gives in and pays them off?

            The worst thing they could do is probably to obstruct trade, but that would hurt the EU more than the UK.

            --
            If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
            • (Score: 2) by n1 on Tuesday February 20 2018, @05:39AM

              by n1 (993) on Tuesday February 20 2018, @05:39AM (#640481) Journal

              Putting up trade barriers as a result of Brexit would have some negative consequences for a lot of EU countries, but the consequences for the UK are much more concentrated. Regardless of which way the trade deficits or a surplus fall, and what sectors, you can argue either way who has the upper hand.

              The UK has some leverage, specifically with the City of London.

              Both sides have a lot to lose in trade, but the consequences will be felt more by a larger proportion of the UK population than the EU, and there are other factors which will get greater attention within the EU should economic damage be severe.

              After years of austerity and a stagnating economy, the general population in the UK will have to endure a precarious economic reality for the foreseeable future and they just have to accept it's 'the will of the people'.

              It's going to happen, the political appetite appears decided. It's the only thing May has to keep her position and Corbyn has a history of EU skepticism.

              I am no fan of the EU, it has serious systemic problems. So does the UK. The referendum and the fallout from it is a joke and has been intellectually dishonest from the start. There is no good outcome from the current situation.

            • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Dr Spin on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:11AM (1 child)

              by Dr Spin (5239) on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:11AM (#640497)

              How so? Because we get 75% of our food from the EU. Because of our climate, this means almost 100% at certain times of year. It is all very well saying we can get it from Australia and New Zealand instead, but the EU is 20 miles away (about 24 hours by road) and Australia 12,000 miles (about 30 days by sea).

              And what do we export in return? The Ponzi scheme that is our "financial institutions".

              --
              Warning: Opening your mouth may invalidate your brain!
              • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Arik on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:33AM

                by Arik (4543) on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:33AM (#640505) Journal
                "Because we get 75% of our food from the EU."

                And they sell a lot of their surplus to you, it benefits both. As I said, they could obstruct trade, but that would hurt them more than anyone else.

                "the EU is 20 miles away (about 24 hours by road) and Australia 12,000 miles (about 30 days by sea)."

                And yet the shipping cost is minimal, which means this is a realistic alternative for many products. And let's not forget your own soil. Britain has fed it's own inhabitants and more continuously from the bronze age until very recently. There are still farmers that would be happy to feed you, you need to rediscover them before they die without training another generation anyway.
                --
                If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
        • (Score: 3, Insightful) by c0lo on Tuesday February 20 2018, @05:59AM (7 children)

          by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday February 20 2018, @05:59AM (#640492) Journal

          The EU can either take what they offer or get nothing at all.

          Europe will weather the "take nothing" on medium term - so not such a big... mmm... trump card up the conservatives' sleeve.

          I don't know if UK will weather well the loss of free access to European market* and the creation of borders** with EU. It will hurt bad even on short term.

          ---
          * which can be lost easily if UK plays diplomatic brinkmanship

          ** Because... remember? One of the main reasons to Brexit was controlling the immigration. If UK wants to control it, 't'll be their duty to build and maintain that border - Europe has no interest to do it.
          You see, Ireland is EU and is glad to be there. The Scots are quite keen to play EU - they may even secede if they feel even a remote increase in their "discomfort level".

          --
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
          • (Score: 2, Disagree) by Arik on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:37AM (6 children)

            by Arik (4543) on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:37AM (#640510) Journal
            The European markets benefit as much, if not more, from UK access.

            The EU will either do absolutely nothing effective (clucking sounds do not count) or it will cut off its own nose to spite its face, which will simply accelerate the rate at which other countries leave.
            --
            If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
            • (Score: 3, Insightful) by c0lo on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:48AM (2 children)

              by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:48AM (#640516) Journal

              The European markets benefit as much, if not more, from UK access.

              After UK sold its industry to foreign investors during '90-ies and position itself in the "finance and service industries"? I don't think so.

              --
              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
              • (Score: 2) by Arik on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:54AM (1 child)

                by Arik (4543) on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:54AM (#640518) Journal
                Sounds like a problem that would have had to be solved whether they left or not.
                --
                If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
                • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:58AM

                  by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:58AM (#640521) Journal

                  Sounds like a problem that would have had to be solved whether they left or not.

                  Not exactly. Would they have not Brexited, the status quo was just fine.

                  --
                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
            • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:54AM (2 children)

              by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:54AM (#640517) Journal

              UK GDP structure [cia.gov]:

              agriculture: 0.6%
              industry: 19%
              services: 80.4%

              You really think that the majority of those 80.4% of services were actually exported?

              --
              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
              • (Score: 2) by Arik on Tuesday February 20 2018, @09:49AM (1 child)

                by Arik (4543) on Tuesday February 20 2018, @09:49AM (#640565) Journal
                GDP is a very difficult concept and I have no confidence in it's application, particularly recently, but let's go with your figures.

                Agriculture is incredibly low. Either a truly wealthy country, or importing food. I happen to know they're importing food.

                And that's a tragedy. Britain is a fertile land which could feed it's inhabitants and easily.

                London is choking Britain, and more generally the urbane are choking the farmers, and that is no new thing, but it's never been worse. There hasn't been so little of the country in productive use for thousands of years. If London is forced to relax it's grip on the countryside simply in order to feed itself, then on the whole I'd say that's a good thing for the country. If this doesn't happen, and soon, the British rural tradition, which stretches back several thousands of years, will end with this generation, leaving nothing but a south asian megapolis with inexplicably shitty weather surrounded by ruined farmhouses and overgrown fields.

                But yes, a large portion of that paper GDP is services, and a large portion of those services are indeed exported. London, it never quits reminding us, is the world financial services capital, after all.
                --
                If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
                • (Score: 3, Insightful) by c0lo on Tuesday February 20 2018, @11:34AM

                  by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday February 20 2018, @11:34AM (#640590) Journal

                  London, it never quits reminding us, is the world financial services capital, after all.

                  It's a convention rather than convenience.
                  Easy come easy go, especially if there'd be social troubles - Brexit was a significant part an ef-you from countryside to London City.

                  --
                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
    • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday February 20 2018, @05:49AM (1 child)

      by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday February 20 2018, @05:49AM (#640490) Journal

      The EU isn't sure if it wants to be a nation or not...
      Having part of the EU in Five Eyes is broken. The EU could be one country in Five Eyes, or as seems likely it could lose the UK.

      A perfect example of duplicitous behavior of the Brit politicians - they preferred the position of lap dog for US rather than a good partner in EU.

      The well known old saying [wikipedia.org]

      --
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
      • (Score: 2) by Arik on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:40AM

        by Arik (4543) on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:40AM (#640511) Journal
        Hmm, Trump, Juncker. Trump, Juncker. Hmm.

        Yeah, playing lapdog is nothing to be proud of, and in any other context I'd have nothing to say about it, but Juncker.

        Yeah there were no good choices in that layout.
        --
        If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by jelizondo on Tuesday February 20 2018, @01:44AM (2 children)

    by jelizondo (653) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday February 20 2018, @01:44AM (#640392) Journal

    Oh dear. It would seem that next time GCHQ tries they might get a different treatment with the U.K. (at least England) out of the European Union.

    However, it does show that the big dogs can get away with anything. Imagine if Belgium had hacked a U.K. or U.S. telecom, there would have been indictments and jail time.

    Speaking of indictments, if amongst friends such shit is allowed to go on, what allegedly the Russians did was a really minor offense against the U.S., not even a poke in the eye!

    • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:01AM

      by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:01AM (#640493) Journal

      what allegedly the Russians did was a really minor offense against the U.S., not even a poke in the eye!

      And you think it actually was something else, maybe quite a big deal?
      That's just noise to distract the populace.

      --
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 20 2018, @07:33PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 20 2018, @07:33PM (#640790)

      '..with the U.K. (at least England) out of the European Union.'

      U.K. out means U.K. out, not just the English.
      Do not believe any crap you might see or hear about the Scots, the Welsh or the Northern Irish getting any different treatment.

      The fucking idiot Scots had their chance of Devolution, and were told the English were going to pull this trick one they got back into power in the U.K, yet voted like good little sheeple to stay in the Union (U.K. one)..there's something disquieting about watching the Scottish 'Nationalists' who've allegedly been fighting to free the country from English control so desperately wanting to suck German schwanz..

      The Welsh don't matter, neither do the Northern Irish.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 20 2018, @04:07AM (5 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 20 2018, @04:07AM (#640454)

    So the secret keys to Belgium's network are lying around on PCs that are also used to browse the web? Somehow, I don't think they need to look very far to figure out who should be held responsible for the intrusion.

    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Dr Spin on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:15AM (4 children)

      by Dr Spin (5239) on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:15AM (#640499)

      Even more interesting is that a hack disguised as MS software can only be removed by scrapping the computers.

      Can Belgians not tell the difference between hardware and software, or is massive corruption involved here?

      Either way, further proof that if security is required, using MS products is not recommended.

      --
      Warning: Opening your mouth may invalidate your brain!
      • (Score: 2) by Arik on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:42AM

        by Arik (4543) on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:42AM (#640513) Journal
        "Can Belgians not tell the difference between hardware and software"

        If you're running Windows on Intel that line has been more than blurred. There's virtually no software in the system, and the hardware is pre-compromised.

        Unfortunately they probably replaced it with newer version of the same scat, which just makes the issues worse.
        --
        If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
      • (Score: 2) by EETech1 on Tuesday February 20 2018, @10:34AM

        by EETech1 (957) on Tuesday February 20 2018, @10:34AM (#640578)

        I have no doubt they did more than just corrupt the windows installation.
        The TLAs (and FLAs) have spent a fortune on persistent malware that simply can't be removed by a Windows rescue disc.

      • (Score: 2) by Freeman on Tuesday February 20 2018, @05:20PM (1 child)

        by Freeman (732) on Tuesday February 20 2018, @05:20PM (#640737) Journal

        Sometimes the cheapest solution is to get a new computer. Especially, if you don't have anything you can't replace on said computer. Best thing to do for yourself is to back up your photos and other Hard to replace things. Things like Microsoft Word, Steam Games, etc, can be easily replaced. When talking government hacks or targeted hacks, replacing the software may not cut it, but in general wiping a computer should be sufficient. Think, boot and nuke + windows reinstall. Trying to use a windows repair disc to fix an infected isn't a terrible idea, but you'd want to totally wipe the HDD. I'm not sure a windows repair disc will do that and / or makes it simple to do. Simpler to just use something like GParted to nuke the drive. Then do a normal windows reinstall or better yet, ditch windows for something more useful. Linux or some other variant of Unix is probably more reliable and would most likely do anything a typical office would need.

        --
        Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 20 2018, @08:55PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 20 2018, @08:55PM (#640841)

          There exists sophisticated malware that rewrites the firmware of hard disk ( and SSD ) controllers, which allows reinfection of disks 'cleaned' by writing zeros across the whole disk using dd or other software. Nasties can also be hidden in GPU firmware. When dealing with nation states, destroying and replacing possibly compromised hardware is the only way to go.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 20 2018, @05:39PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 20 2018, @05:39PM (#640746)

    How UK Spies Hacked a European Ally and Got Away With It

    Ally? [wikipedia.org]
    Heh...

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