An amusing story reached us from Australia last week that even has a moral attached to it. It seems that the Australian federal police were hacked after they boasted of their recent hacker bust.
Early last week, an episode of ABC's Four Corners, an Australian show that looks at real-world events, took it upon itself to report on a police investigation that was busy ferreting out hackers across the land.
According to Australian newswires, the police "brazenly boasted" about a number of recent hacker arrests.
Neil Gaughan, national manager of the Australian federal police's high tech crimes division, made the following comment: "We can operate in a covert activity here fairly seamlessly with no harm to our members with continual and actual significant penetration."
However, it seems that the table was turned, when the police reported that their systems had been hacked. According to ABC News, an administrator of an Australian underground hacking forum was arrested and his computers seized.
The police then began logging onto the forum and using it as a `honey trap,' attracting unsuspecting hackers. The Australian hacking underground, however, became more than a little suspicious. Their suspicions were confirmed after police posted a taunting message on the forum stating that "all member IP addresses have been logged" and that arrests were being made.
Apparently enraged, some members of the hacker community broke into the system that the police were using in the investigation. They proceeded to use it to gain access to police evidence as well as intelligence about federal police systems.
On the website Pastebin.com, a hacker mocked the police for "making it sound like they can bust 'hackers', when all they have done is busted a couple of script kiddies”.
Obviously when you are a cop or federal investigator, it’s wise not the raise your head too far above the parapet – your electronic enemy might take aim!
Cybercrime intelligence is important. Finjan's malicious code research center keeps on conducting investigations into the exploits of hackers and reporting on them. To keep being informed, we invite you to read the MCRC blog on our website.
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