Cybersecurity specialists report that technology firm Intel is investigating a security breach that would have compromised about 20 GB of internal documents; the compromised information has been exposed on multiple sites, including the popular document-sharing platform MEGA and various forums on dark web.
Swiss software engineer Till Kottmann was one of the users who published the compromised files though MEGA, claiming that he received this information thanks to an anonymous hacker who assured to have compromised Intel’s internal networks. Kottmann manages a very popular Telegram channel, where information related to data breach incidents is shared.
Apparently this is only the first in a series of leaks related to the chip manufacturer, as assured by multiple specialists who collaborate closely with the company who have requested to remain anonymous. During the analysis of the compromised information, the leaked files were found to contain Intel’s intellectual property, in addition to some files classified as “confidential” or “restricted”; these documents contained technical specifications, product guides and manuals for at least 4 years.
The files on file do not contain confidential details about the company’s business customers or employees, although uncertainty prevails as it is impossible to know which other users besides Kottmann accessed this information.
In this regard, the company sent an email to multiple members of the cybersecurity community ensuring that no cyberattack incidents have been filed, but that the leak occurred through legitimate access: “We are investigating this situation; the information presented appears to come from Intel’s Design and Resource Center, which hosts files from our customers, partners, and other parties registered to access. We believe that a person with access downloaded and shared this data.”
Moreover, the specialized ZDNet website had access to a copy of the conversation between Kottmann and his contact in the world of cybercrime, in which the alleged hacker ensures that the data was extracted through an insecure server hosted by the security firm Akamai, in contradiction of Intel’s claims. The incident will remain under investigation, as more leaks are highly likely to occur over the next few days.
He is a cyber security and malware researcher. He studied Computer Science and started working as a cyber security analyst in 2006. He is actively working as an cyber security investigator. He also worked for different security companies. His everyday job includes researching about new cyber security incidents. Also he has deep level of knowledge in enterprise security implementation.