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NO REASON TO BELIEVE SINGAPORE WAS A TARGET IN FIREEYE HACK: CSA


FireEye, one of the largest cyber security companies in the United States, said
earlier this month that it was hacked in a state-sponsored attack. ST PHOTO:
KELVIN CHNG
Hariz Baharudin
Indonesia Correspondent
Updated
Dec 17, 2020, 6:27 AM SGT
Published
Dec 16, 2020, 11:43 AM SGT
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https://str.sg/Jauw


SINGAPORE - There is no reason to believe that Singapore was a target of the
recent high-profile hacking attack involving cyber security firm FireEye and
software provider SolarWinds Corp, authorities said late on Tuesday (Dec 15).

Even so, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) said that it has sent out
an advisory on Dec 9 for firms to disconnect affected cyber security tools and
update their systems to protect against cyber criminals.

FireEye, one of the largest cyber security companies in the United States, said
earlier this month that it was hacked in a state-sponsored attack. The firm's
hacking tools, which are used to test the defences of its clients, was stolen in
the process.



The theft stems from malicious code injected by hackers into US-based SolarWinds
software that FireEye used, the cyber security firm said this week after
conducting an investigation.

The software facilitates the monitoring of computer networks of businesses and
governments for outages.

The malware, in the form of a software update, reportedly allowed hackers to spy
on secure information at some of the top agencies in the US.




The attack on FireEye, which holds a range of contracts in the United States and
its allies, is among the most significant breaches in recent memory. The firm,
which last month reported an all-time record revenue of US$238 million ($317
million) for the third quarter of this year, provides services for international
Government agencies.

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It also works with big name firms like telecommunications company Vodafone, the
Bank of Thailand and lighting company Signify, which was previously known as
Philips Lighting.

The company is a strategic partner of CSA, which oversees national cyber
security functions and protects Singapore's critical services. CSA told The
Straits Times that based on its understanding, the scope of the FireEye attack
was limited and did not affect Singapore.

"Based on the information from FireEye, the attack was highly targeted, with the
breach limited to FireEye's US offices. There has been no evidence to suggest
that Singapore was or would be a target," it said.



The agency sent an advisory to Critical Information Infrastructure (CII)
leaders, to work with their security vendors and update their systems so that
they can be protected from the stolen FireEye tools.


SOFTWARE UPDATE

Hackers had gained access through a SolarWinds software called Orion, using
malware disguised as a software update.

SolarWinds provides network-monitoring and other technical services to thousands
of organisations around the world, including most Fortune 500 companies and
government agencies in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The firm
has an office in Suntec City.

According to reports, more than 18,000 private and government users had
downloaded this tainted software update, which reportedly allowed hackers to
monitor internal e-mails at some of the top agencies in the US.

The Singapore Computer Emergency Response Team (SingCert) had, in a public
advisory on its website on Monday, advised organisations to disconnect or power
down SolarWinds Orion products from their networks immediately. SingCert is a
unit of CSA.

"Administrators should also review the logs for suspicious activities, check
connected systems for signs of compromise and persistence mechanisms, and reset
credentials if necessary, especially ones used by or stored in SolarWinds
software," said CSA.

"Administrators are also advised to monitor their networks and systems for any
suspicious activities."

More On This Topic
US Homeland Security, thousands of businesses scramble after suspected Russian
hack
FireEye hack portends a scary era of cyber insecurity

CSA said that it has been in close contact with the US Cybersecurity and
Infrastructure Security Agency, as well as FireEye.

They have both provided CSA with more information, which the agency said has
helped it to better advise on preventive measures to take.

FireEye took swift action to mitigate the threat and alert their partners,
customers and other cyber security vendors, so that appropriate action can be
taken quickly, said CSA.

According to FireEye's statement, there is evidence to show the attackers are
state-sponsored and highly sophisticated. CSA has urged organisations to be
vigilant.

Associate Professor Chang Ee-Chien from the National University of Singapore's
School of Computing said that the attacks in this case are likely to affect
larger organisations instead of home users.

"State-sponsored attacks typically have large resources and political goals.
They do not direct towards home users but would have significant targets, for
example an attack on financial institutions or power systems," he said.

More On This Topic
Hackers attack US cyber-security firm FireEye; Russia suspected
FireEye discovered SolarWinds breach while probing own hack

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


HERE'S A LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED

Highly secure US government information, potentially involving some of its top
agencies, was targeted in a sophisticated hacking incident - one of the biggest
in recent years.

Malicious code was hidden in updates to a popular software called Orion, made by
the US company SolarWinds, which monitors networks of businesses and governments
for outages.

With the code, hackers were able to access an organisation's networks to steal
data.

Prominent cyber security company FireEye, which itself uses SolarWinds, said
earlier this week that it had experienced a breach due to the software. FireEye
supplies services to international government agencies as well as banks,
telecommunications providers and electricity companies.

More than 18,000 private and government users are reported to have downloaded
the tainted Orion software update, which could have allowed hackers to monitor
internal e-mails and steal information.

Agencies that may have been impacted include the Centres for Disease Control and
Prevention in the US, as well as the country's State Department and the Justice
Department.

It has been reported that last year, SolarWinds was alerted to the fact that
anyone could access its update server by using the password "solarwinds123",
exposing a jarring vulnerability in the firm's system.


WHO IS AFFECTED

It is likely that the scale of the attack is global, given how SolarWinds
provides network-monitoring and other technical services to thousands of
organisations.

This includes most Fortune 500 companies and government agencies in North
America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Due to Orion's design - to look for problems in a computer network - experts
have said that it could give hackers a thorough view of an organisation, as well
as deep access into its systems.

SolarWinds said that it sent an advisory on Dec 13 to about 33,000 of its Orion
customers who might have been affected, though it estimated a smaller number of
customers - fewer than 18,000 - had actually installed the compromised product
update earlier this year.


WHO IS RESPONSIBLE AND WHAT'S NEXT?

SolarWinds said an "outside nation state" infiltrated its systems with malware,
but neither the US government nor the affected companies have publicly
identified the hackers.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of an ongoing
investigation, told The Associated Press on Monday that Russian hackers are
suspected. Russia responded the same day to say it had "nothing to do with" the
hacking.

SolarWinds may face legal action from private customers and government entities
affected by the breach.

Singapore's Computer Emergency Response Team (SingCert), a unit of the Cyber
Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), has recommended that organisations
disconnect or power down SolarWinds Orion products from their networks
immediately.

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