[BreachExchange] Hacking Team hits back at 'vigilante hackers' again following Cellebrite breach

[Audrey McNeil]

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/hacking-team-hits-back-vigilante-hackers-again-
following-cellebrite-breach-1601724

The recent high-profile Cellebrite data breach, which saw a vigilante
hacker reportedly break into the Israeli phone hacking firm's systems made
headlines for the nature of the attack. Around 900GB data was reportedly
stolen in the attack, which has angered David Vincenzetti, CEO of Italian
surveillance firm Hacking Team, who lashed out at "vigilante hackers" and
the damage they caused to legitimate firms.

In a show of solidarity, Vincenzetti sent a message to Cellebrite, writing
that the recent breach was "hardly something to celebrate". Hacking Team
has itself been the victim of a similar cyberattack in 2015, which saw a
hacker going by the pseudonym "Phineas Fisher" claim responsibility for
hacking into the surveillance company's system and leaking 400GB data
online.

Vincenzetti claimed that these hackers target companies they dislike and
launch targeted cyberattacks in efforts to "destroy" them.

"Self-appointed 'prosecutors,' 'judges' and 'executioners', these secret
operators believe it is their mission to attack by whatever means available
companies that provide investigative tools to law enforcement," Vincenzetti
wrote, according to Motherboard.

"Never mind the crimes and terrorism facilitated every day by the modern
encryption and Internet tools that provide a screen to protect the
lawless," he added.

Vincenzetti lambasted "vigilante hackers", claiming that they "exploit the
very privacy protections they claim to be defending". He continued, "In the
name of protecting Internet 'privacy,' these operators seek to simply
destroy companies they don't like. In doing so, they are exploiting the
Internet in the same way as do drug dealers, sex trade peddlers and
criminal gangs."

This is not the first time that Vincenzetti has lashed out at vigilante
hackers. Following the 2015 breach on his company, Vincenzetti had hit out
at the media as well for covering the data breach.

Meanwhile, Cellebrite said that an investigation had been launched into the
incident. However, the identity and motive of the hackers responsible for
the data breach still remains a mystery.
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