Nigerian hackers, grouped as Gold Galleon, are menacing shipping firms and bleeding them of thousands of dollars.

Network security firm Secureworks has red-flagged the group, whose focus appears solely to be the maritime industry.

The group, according to a report by Maritime Executive, an online platform, uses basic email scams and publicly available hacking software to try to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from unsuspecting ship managers and service providers.

Secureworks said Gold Galleon is a group of about 20 individuals who work together to hack maritime firms all over the world using basic techniques. They rent hacking tools for just a few dollars per month; they communicate via Skype; and they identify targets using online company directories and commercially-available contact lists.

While the criminal gang uses an online proxy service to disguise its location, several cues indicate that it is of Nigerian origin, Secureworks said. The group communicates in Nigerian Pidgin, an English creole language, and it uses phrases assocated with a Nigerian social organization called the “Buccaneeers Confraternity” for usernames and passwords.

Simple methods, big rewards

Once the group has identified a new target, it sends a spearphishing email carefully tailored to the recipient. The email has an attachment containing malware, which deploys on the unsuspecting victim’s Read full here

Isaac93:

Secureworks said Gold Galleon is a group of about 20 individuals who work together to hack maritime firms all over the world using basic techniques. They rent hacking tools for just a few dollars per month; they communicate via Skype; and they identify targets using online company directories and commercially-available contact lists.

While the criminal gang uses an online proxy service to disguise its location, several cues indicate that it is of Nigerian origin, Secureworks said. The group communicates in Nigerian Pidgin, an English creole language, and it uses phrases assocated with a Nigerian social organization called the “Buccaneeers Confraternity” for usernames and passwords.

Simple methods, big rewards

And how do they make money off the hacks? Or the so-called Secureworks just cooked this up for cheap publicity.

questechie:

And how do they many money off the hacks? Or the so-called Secureworks just cooked this up for cheap publicity.

U funny o.. See title sf dy talk abt money

Isaac93:


U funny o.. See title sf dy talk abt money

I think it's your storytelling that's funny! You hack a shipping industry and boom money falls from the sky? Are they running ransomeware on their computers thereby demanding a price to decrypt the files, or the shipping companies store money on their computers? Sh*t!