Hacktivist group Team Network Nine has claimed responsibility for an alleged cyberattack on the Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO). The SPARRSO data breach announcement was posted on their Telegram channel.
The incident occurred on December 1, 2023, at 0816 hours UTC, causing a one-hour downtime for the organization.
The threat actors, identified as Team Network Nine, carried out a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, rendering the SPARRSO website inaccessible.
SPARRSO data breach: Team Network Nine Claims Responsibility
Screenshots shared on the group’s Telegram channel displayed the SPARRSO data breach, supported by check host reports revealing abnormalities in website activity.
The Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization website sparrso.gov.bd seems to be down at the moment and has impacted the organization. The group proudly announced the SPARRSO data breach on their Telegram channel, emphasizing their successful attempt at compromising the organization’s online presence.
The post included references to other hacker teams, showcasing a collaborative effort within the hacking community. Despite attempts to gather more information about the SPARRSO data breach, The Cyber Express faced obstacles due to the organization’s website displaying an “HTTP ERROR 500.” This error, commonly associated with internal server issues, has hindered communication with the affected organization, leaving the veracity of the breach unconfirmed.
The HTTP Error 500, indicative of internal server problems, can result from various cyberattacks, such as malicious code injection, DoS/DDoS attacks, exploiting vulnerabilities, data corruption, server misconfigurations, and brute force attacks. These attacks pose serious threats, disrupting normal operations, crashing servers, and compromising critical files.
Cyberattack on SPARRSO and Recent Attacks on Bangladesh
The SPARRSO data breach incident follows recent precautions taken by Bangladesh’s central bank to safeguard against potential cyber threats. Several internal online services were temporarily suspended for 36 hours as a preventive measure, echoing concerns stemming from a 2016 cyberattack where hackers absconded with nearly $1 billion.
Executive Director Md. Mezbaul Haque assured that the bank’s increased vigilance and surveillance measures aimed to protect against possible cyberattacks. The move came in response to alerts from the country’s electronic incident response team, warning of an impending attack on critical information infrastructure, banks, financial institutions, and government and private agencies.
As the SPARRSO data breach unfolds, questions surrounding the organization’s cybersecurity measures and the broader landscape of cyber threats in Bangladesh persist. The collaborative efforts of hacktivist groups, exemplified by Team Network Nine, need more importance and quick mitigation techniques.
Media Disclaimer: This report is based on internal and external research obtained through various means. The information provided is for reference purposes only, and users bear full responsibility for their reliance on it. The Cyber Express assumes no liability for the accuracy or consequences of using this information.