Operation Red October or Red October was a cyberespionage

malware Malware (a portmanteau for ''malicious software'') is any software intentionally designed to cause disruption to a computer, server, client, or computer network, leak private information, gain unauthorized access to information or systems, de ...

program discovered in October 2012 and uncovered in January 2013 by Russian firm

Kaspersky Lab Kaspersky Lab (; Russian language, Russian: Лаборатория Касперского, Romanization of Russian, tr. ''Laboratoriya Kasperskogo'') is a Russian Multinational corporation, multinational cybersecurity and anti-virus provider head ...

. The malware was reportedly operating worldwide for up to five years prior to discovery, transmitting information ranging from diplomatic secrets to personal information, including from mobile devices. The primary vectors used to install the malware were emails containing attached documents that exploited vulnerabilities in

Microsoft Word Microsoft Word is a word processing software developed by Microsoft. It was first released on October 25, 1983, under the name ''Multi-Tool Word'' for Xenix systems. Subsequent versions were later written for several other platforms includi ...

and

Excel ExCeL London (an abbreviation for Exhibition Centre London) is an exhibition centre, international convention centre and former hospital in the Custom House area of Newham, East London. It is situated on a site on the northern quay of the Ro ...

. Later, a webpage was found that exploited a known vulnerability in the Java browser plugin. Red October was termed an advanced cyberespionage campaign intended to target diplomatic, governmental and scientific research organizations worldwide.
map
of the extent of the operation was released by the

- the "Moscow-based antivirus firm that uncovered the campaign." After being revealed, domain registrars and hosting companies shut down as many as 60 domains, used by the virus creators to receive information. The attackers, themselves, shut down their end of the operation, as well. The perpetrator of the operation has not been conclusively determined but it appeared to have been in operation on some level since May 2007 at the latest. According to Kaspersky Lab, Russian slang words were found in the code which would be "generally unknown to non-native Russian speakers." However, the program also appeared to be built on existing exploits developed by Chinese

hackers A hacker is a person skilled in information technology who uses their technical knowledge to achieve a goal or overcome an obstacle, within a computerized system by non-standard means. Though the term ''hacker'' has become associated in popu ...

and previously used against Tibetan activists.

References

External links

Info at kaspersky.com
{{Hacking in the 2010s Spyware Hacking in the 2010s Espionage in Russia Cybercrime in India