Raccoon Stealer: Eight govt entities hit by info-stealing malware

Source: The post is based on the article “Eight govt entities hit by info-stealing malware” published in Indian Express on 8th April 2023

What is the News?

The National Technical Research Organisation(NTRO), a specialized intelligence agency, has informed that eight government entities were targeted by the Raccoon Stealer malware.

What is a Raccoon Stealer?

Raccoon Stealer is a kind of malware that steals various data from an infected computer.

The malware is usually delivered through email and is available as Malware-as-a-service (MaaS).

What is Malware-as-a-Service(MaaS)?

Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) is the term used to describe the unlawful leasing of software and hardware for the purpose of conducting cyber-attacks. This service is available for purchase on the Dark Web by hackers. It is often used by cybercriminals to launch attacks against individuals or organizations.

What is the National Technical Research Organisation(NTRO)?

National Technical Research Organisation(NTRO) was established in 2004. It was set up after the 1999 Kargil conflict.

It is a technical intelligence agency under the National Security Adviser in the Prime Minister’s Office. 

It has the same “norms of conduct” as the Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing.

Organizations under NTRO:

​​The National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre has been created to monitor, intercept and assess threats to critical infrastructure and other vital installations from intelligence gathered using sensors and platforms which include satellites, drones etc.

It also has the National Institute of Cryptology Research and Development (NICRD), which is the first of its kind in Asia.