Europol, the law enforcement agency of the European Union, has confirmed a security breach on its web portal but has assured that no operational data was compromised. The breach, blamed on the notorious hacker group IntelBroker, reportedly involved the theft of classified documents and other sensitive information.
IntelBroker, known for previous cyber-attacks on U.S. government entities and a major cybersecurity firm, claims the breach occurred in May 2024 and affected several of Europol’s systems.
These include the Europol Platform for Experts (EPE), a critical knowledge-sharing portal for law enforcement experts, and the SIRIUS platform, pivotal for judicial and law enforcement authorities from 47 countries accessing electronic evidence for criminal investigations.
🚨 Major Security Breach Alert: Intelbroker Strikes Again 🚨
The notorious threat actor known as Intelbroker has recently claimed to have executed a significant breach affecting Europol and several affiliated organizations. This alarming development follows Intelbroker’s previous… pic.twitter.com/looQzg1luF— FalconFeeds.io (@FalconFeedsio) May 10, 2024
The group alleges to have obtained “For Official Use Only” source code, documents, and a database containing personal information of individuals specializing in cybercrime. Furthermore, IntelBroker has threatened to sell the stolen data, demanding payment in the cryptocurrency Monero.
In response to the breach, Europol has acknowledged the incident and confirmed taking immediate measures to secure its systems. Europol stated:
“The incident concerns a Europol Platform for Expert (EPE) closed user group. No core systems of Europol are affected and therefore, no operational data from Europol has been compromised.”
This recent security lapse marks another significant challenge for Europol following a previous incident in September 2023 where sensitive personnel files, including those of Europol’s executive director Catherine De Bolle, were compromised.
As the situation unfolds, Europol continues to assess the full scope of the intrusion with international cybersecurity experts. It has reiterated its commitment to safeguarding its operational integrity against cyber threats.
The developments in this case will likely prompt further enhancements in cybersecurity measures at Europol and other similar entities worldwide.
In response to the recent security breach at Europol, experts are stressing the importance of using the best VPN services to enhance cybersecurity measures. A VPN can prevent attackers from easily tracing online activities back to their source, adding an extra layer of security against cyber threats.