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Red-faced Royal Navy hit by hacker who shuts down website just weeks after Government warn of cyber attacks
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 1:48 PM on 8th November 2010
The Ministry of Defence has been forced to take The Royal Navy website offline because it was infiltrated by an internet hacker - just weeks after the Government highlighted the danger of cyber terror attacks. The Navy's website was shut down today after a self-confessed 'security enthusiast' claimed to have hacked into the site and its databases. In a new post on his blog, the hacker - a Romanian national known only as TinKode - claims to have penetrated the security of the Navy's site late on Friday night.
Embarrassment: The hacking of the Royal navy website comes just weeks after the Government warned about the threat of cyber terrorism
The MoD denied the breach allowed the hacker access to any classified information, but it will cause embarrassment given that it comes just weeks after the Government announced plans to make countering cyber-terrorism a major defence priority. Last month's Strategic Defence Review stated that in addition to international terrorism and natural disasters, cyber attacks from 'a new generation of sophisticated cyber terrorists' were one of the major threats to the UK.
Despite cuts to front-line military services, the Government allocated a staggering £500 million pounds of public funds to combat cyber attacks. The bulk of that money will be used to protect defence assets - including classified databases on military sites. The hacking is an embarrassment for defence chiefs and raises serious questions about the readiness of the UK for a more serious cyber attack.
Scores of fellow computer buffs have sent messages of congratulations to the Romanian computer expert on his blog after he made the security breach public. One message mocks the frailty of the naval site, saying: 'TinKode doesn't need sophisticated weapons to disarm an army. He just need (sic) a PC.' Another boasts: 'Not hard to find vulnerable military site. Just use Google.'
Visitors to www.royalnavy.mod.uk were greeted with a message which read: 'Unfortunately the Royal Navy website is currently undergoing essential maintenance. Please visit again soon.' A Royal Navy Spokesperson said: 'We can confirm that there was a compromise of the Royal Navy public-relations inter-net website over the weekend.
'There has been no malicious damage; but as a precaution, the RN website has been temporarily suspended. Security teams are investigating. 'Access to this website did not give the hacker access to any classified information.' The incident is a the latest in a line of successful attacks claimed by TinKode. On his Twitter feed he lists the bodies he has attacked, including U.S. Army Civil Affairs & Psychological Operations Command, US Army 470th MI Brigade and the news agency website Reuters.com.
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 1:48 PM on 8th November 2010
The Ministry of Defence has been forced to take The Royal Navy website offline because it was infiltrated by an internet hacker - just weeks after the Government highlighted the danger of cyber terror attacks. The Navy's website was shut down today after a self-confessed 'security enthusiast' claimed to have hacked into the site and its databases. In a new post on his blog, the hacker - a Romanian national known only as TinKode - claims to have penetrated the security of the Navy's site late on Friday night.
Embarrassment: The hacking of the Royal navy website comes just weeks after the Government warned about the threat of cyber terrorism
The MoD denied the breach allowed the hacker access to any classified information, but it will cause embarrassment given that it comes just weeks after the Government announced plans to make countering cyber-terrorism a major defence priority. Last month's Strategic Defence Review stated that in addition to international terrorism and natural disasters, cyber attacks from 'a new generation of sophisticated cyber terrorists' were one of the major threats to the UK.
Despite cuts to front-line military services, the Government allocated a staggering £500 million pounds of public funds to combat cyber attacks. The bulk of that money will be used to protect defence assets - including classified databases on military sites. The hacking is an embarrassment for defence chiefs and raises serious questions about the readiness of the UK for a more serious cyber attack.
Scores of fellow computer buffs have sent messages of congratulations to the Romanian computer expert on his blog after he made the security breach public. One message mocks the frailty of the naval site, saying: 'TinKode doesn't need sophisticated weapons to disarm an army. He just need (sic) a PC.' Another boasts: 'Not hard to find vulnerable military site. Just use Google.'
Visitors to www.royalnavy.mod.uk were greeted with a message which read: 'Unfortunately the Royal Navy website is currently undergoing essential maintenance. Please visit again soon.' A Royal Navy Spokesperson said: 'We can confirm that there was a compromise of the Royal Navy public-relations inter-net website over the weekend.
'There has been no malicious damage; but as a precaution, the RN website has been temporarily suspended. Security teams are investigating. 'Access to this website did not give the hacker access to any classified information.' The incident is a the latest in a line of successful attacks claimed by TinKode. On his Twitter feed he lists the bodies he has attacked, including U.S. Army Civil Affairs & Psychological Operations Command, US Army 470th MI Brigade and the news agency website Reuters.com.
