Operation Colombia, Hack Exposes Government Institutions Data on the Dark Web


Posted on: 01 Jun 2023 | Author: Foresiet
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Introduction

In a brazen display of cyber intrusion, the hacking group SiegedSec has once again struck gold on the Dark Web. The group began a hacking campaign called Operation Colombia, targeting several key government institutions in the country. This article delves into the technical aspects of the hack, shedding light on the Magnitude of the Breach, the Compromised Data, and the Impacted Organizations.

The operation has resulted in a substantial Data Leak, exposing Sensitive Information that includes Databases, Backend Files, Confidential Documents, Identification Cards, and more. The affected government victims include the Northeastern Border Regional Autonomous Corporation, Municipality of Bucaramanga, District Secretariat Of Government, IBAL SA ESP, Colombian Agricultural Institute, and Subred Sur.

The Breach: Dark Web Data Leak Unveiled

The Operation Colombia hack has yielded an extensive data leak, comprising approximately 6 gigabytes of stolen information. The hackers successfully infiltrated the targeted organizations' networks, circumventing their security measures to gain unauthorized access to sensitive resources. Through sophisticated techniques, the attackers managed to exfiltrate a significant amount of data, exposing critical information that could have far-reaching consequences.

Impacted Government Institutions: Dark Web Breach Consequences

1. Northeastern Border Regional Autonomous Corporation (corponor.gov.co):

The database and backend files of Corponor have been compromised. This breach could potentially expose sensitive environmental and territorial management data, as well as personal information of employees and stakeholders.

2. Municipality of Bucaramanga (cpsmbga.gov.co):

The hacking group has targeted the Municipality of Bucaramanga, gaining access to their databases, backend files, and confidential documents. This breach poses a serious threat to the municipality's administrative and governance systems.

3. District Secretariat Of Government (gobiernobogota.gov.co):

The District Secretariat Of Government, responsible for governing the capital city of Bogota, has fallen victim to the hack. The breach includes databases, backend files, and potentially confidential documents, jeopardizing the integrity of essential governmental operations.

4. IBAL SA ESP (ibal.gov.co):

The cyberattack extends to IBAL SA ESP, an organization responsible for water and sanitation services. The compromised data may include crucial infrastructure details, customer records, and other sensitive information that could significantly impact the functioning of water supply systems.

5. Colombian Agricultural Institute (ica.gov.co):

The Colombian Agricultural Institute has suffered a breach that exposes its databases, backend files, and confidential documents. This intrusion poses a significant threat to the agricultural sector, as it may compromise valuable research, agricultural data, and regulatory information.

6. Subred Sur (subredsur.gov.co):

The hacking group has targeted Subred Sur, affecting its databases and potentially exposing confidential information related to healthcare services. This breach raises concerns regarding patient privacy, medical records, and critical healthcare infrastructure.

Partial Email Exfiltration: Dark Web Breach Limitations

While the Operation Colombia hackers successfully exfiltrated vast amounts of data, it is worth noting that they were only able to obtain a small portion of the targeted organizations' email correspondence. This limitation in the breach may be attributed to the security measures in place, such as strong email encryption or segmented email networks, employed by the affected government institutions.

Data Leaked: Dark Web Evidence

As mentioned above, data related to departments of the Colombian government were illegally accessed and leaked by the hacker group over the weekend. Screenshots of the folders are given below:

Screenshot of all the folders that SiegedSec leaked:

Screenshot of the folders leaked from the Northeastern Border Regional Autonomous Corporation servers

The screenshot of the data that was leaked from the servers of IBAL Colombia, the agency responsible for water and sanitation

Below is a screenshot of the folders containing the emails sent and received between personnel of the Colombian Agriculture Institute

Screenshot of the data leaked from the District Secretariat of Colombia

Screenshot of the folders of data leaked from the servers of Subred Sur

And finally, the screenshots of the emails stolen from the servers of the Municipality of Bucaramanga

Conclusion: Safeguarding Against Dark Web Threats

The Operation Colombia hack represents a significant breach of multiple Colombian government institutions, exposing critical data on the Dark Web. The stolen data, encompassing databases, backend files, confidential documents, and identification cards, poses a grave threat to the affected organizations and their stakeholders.

This cyber intrusion serves as a stark reminder of the growing challenges governments face in protecting their critical systems and sensitive information. As the impacted institutions work to mitigate the damage caused by this breach, it is imperative to invest in robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard against such malicious activities in the future.



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