July 15, 2016
A hacking group called ‘Pravyy Sector’ is attempting to extort the Polish Defence Ministry for $50,000 (€45,000, £37,000) while threatening to release a number of sensitive files stolen from its computer networks if no payment is received.
The hacking group, which takes its name from the far-right Ukrainian political party Pravy Sektor – or ‘Right Sector’ – claims to represent the group however has provided little evidence to back up these assertions.
The hackers have leaked documents in an attempt to prove their legitimacy. These include scans of official government files and screenshots that appear to show the desktop of a Defence Ministry computer. According to Softpedia, the hackers also leaked an Excel spreadsheet containing 1,368 entries and logs from the department’s intranet system.
In response, as reported by Sputnik, the Polish Defence Ministry has claimed the leaked files were outdated and “no longer relevant”. In a statement, a spokesperson said: “In connection with the information on hacking of the Defence Ministry’s database, [we] clarify that it was a manipulation to create the impression of a dangerous cyberattack.”
Other sources have called the credibility of the leak into question, including Polish security firm Niebezpiecznik, which has been covering the story as it develops.