A recent report in the EUobserver details the impact of an operation that has been dubbed “Red October.” Citing data from the Russian Internet security firm Kaspersky Lab, the EUobserver reports that, “unknown hackers have been stealing European Union and NATO-encrypted files” for at least five years. The author of the report, Andrew Rettman, writes that, “Over the past five years, the hackers pulled material, such as files, as well as keystroke history and Internet browsing history, from desktop and laptop computers, servers and USB sticks. They also stole contact lists, call history and SMS-es from iPhone, Nokia and Windows Mobile smartphones.”

Rettman reports that “the Kaspersky Lab’s analysis of the malicious code shows traces of Chinese and Russian-speaking authors.” He goes on to quote from the analysis: “Currently, there is no evidence linking this with a nation-state-sponsored attack. The information stolen by the attackers is obviously of the highest level and includes geopolitical data which can be used by nation states. Such information could be traded in the underground and sold to the highest bidder, which can be of course, anywhere.”