Europol, the law enforcement agency of the European Union, recently confirmed that their web portal experienced a security breach, although they assured the public that no operational data was compromised during the incident. The group behind the hack, known as IntelBroker, claimed responsibility for the breach and boasted about accessing sensitive data, including classified documents.

According to IntelBroker, the breach took place in May 2024 and affected multiple systems within Europol, including the Europol Platform for Experts (EPE), which serves as a knowledge-sharing portal for law enforcement professionals. The hackers declared that they were able to breach the “For Official Use Only” (FOUO) source code, documents, and even a database containing personal information of cybercrime experts.

Furthermore, IntelBroker alleged that they were able to compromise the SIRIUS platform, a tool utilized by judicial and law enforcement authorities from 47 different countries to access electronic evidence for criminal investigations. The group went a step further by offering to sell the supposedly stolen Europol data and demanded payment in Monero cryptocurrency.

In response to the incident, Europol acknowledged the breach and stated that they had implemented initial measures to address the situation. They emphasized that while the Europol Platform for Expert (EPE) closed user group was affected, none of Europol’s core systems were compromised, ensuring that no operational data had been accessed.

This recent security breach is not the first time that Europol has faced cybersecurity challenges. In September 2023, sensitive personnel files belonging to Europol’s executive director Catherine De Bolle and other high-ranking officials were reported missing, highlighting a serious lapse in security and a breach of personal data.

IntelBroker has been actively engaged in cyber warfare since December, previously claiming to have infiltrated and leaked data from various U.S. government agencies and a significant cybersecurity company believed to be Zscaler. Their latest attack on Europol serves as a stark reminder of the persistent struggle to safeguard law enforcement data from ever-evolving and sophisticated cyber threats.

Moving forward, it is evident that organizations at the forefront of cybersecurity, such as Europol, must remain vigilant and employ robust security measures to protect their sensitive information from malicious actors. As cyber threats continue to evolve, the importance of investing in cybersecurity defenses and staying abreast of the latest security protocols cannot be overstated.

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