Vulkan Files: Massive Leak Reveals How Putin's Russian Hacker Army Operates

The plans of the

 in cyberwar have been exposed in the last few hours from a large leak that is becoming known as the

 in the international media.

Reports point to a

reporting to

with the ability to launch

,

and ram 

in the US and Europe through an

.

The documents detail

that would allow Russian intelligence agencies and hacker groups to better find vulnerabilities, coordinate attacks, and monitor online activity, the documents The Washington

published Thursday .

The reports even give details that the companies involved supported operations that included both disinformation from social networks and training to

, such as maritime, air and rail control systems.

Putin seeks to control the speech that circulates on the internet in the wake of the war in Ukraine.

(Photo: EFE)

A source reportedly provided the documents of the contractor,

, to a German journalist after expressing outrage over

, as a consequence of decisions made by the Kremlin.

So far, officials from five Western intelligence agencies and several independent cybersecurity companies

, according to

.

On the other hand, these officials and experts were unable to find definitive proof that the systems were deployed by Russia or used in specific cyberattacks, but the documents describe

for Russian security services. and various associated research institutes.

What is NTC Vulkan?

The disputed Russian company NTC Vulkan involved in the recent leak, which is also known as the

, is mainly engaged in the

for the

.

NTC Vulkan's areas of expertise include the design of systems and components for rockets, jet engines, drones, navigation equipment, and control systems.

The company is also engaged in research and development in areas such as nanotechnology, materials science, and laser technology.

NTC Vulkan has extensive experience in research and development of advanced technologies, and has been involved in

.

The company also has a significant presence in the export of Russian defense technology.

The cyberwar plot directly involving Russia has several protagonists: the secret corporate dealings of Russia's military and spy agencies, including the work of the government hacking group

.

US authorities accused Russian cybercriminals of causing two blackouts in Ukraine, disrupting the opening ceremonies of the 2018 Winter Olympics, and launching

, the most financially destructive malware in history.

One of the leaked documents mentions Sandworm's military intelligence unit number designation 74455, suggesting that Vulkan was preparing software for the elite hacking squad to use.

The unsigned 11-page document, dated 2019, exposed a company official in approving the data transfer protocol for one of the platforms. 

“

, and the Russian government is cowardly and wrong,” said the person who handed over the documents to the German journalist shortly after the invasion of Ukraine.

This anonymous source, who spoke with the journalist through an encrypted chat application, refused to identify himself before ending contact, stating the need to

for security reasons.

“

,” the source admitted.

"I hope they can use this information to show what happens behind closed doors."

Vulkan Files: what the report says

(Photo: Pexels)

According to the publication, the document dated between 2016 and 2021 has

.

Its contents include manuals, technical specification sheets, and other details of the software that Vulkan designed for the Russian military and intelligence establishment.

It also reveals

, financial records and contracts that expose part of Russia's cyber operations.

This includes programs to create

and software that can identify and store lists of vulnerabilities in computer systems around the world for potential future targets.

Also, various UI prototypes for a

that represent examples of potential hacking targets, including the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a Swiss nuclear power plant.

Another file shows a map of the United States with circles indicating 

.

An illustration of a Vulkan platform called

references a point location in the US, labeled "Fairfield", as a place to find network vulnerabilities to use in an attack.

Meanwhile, another document directly describes a "user scenario" in which hacking teams will identify insecure routers in North Korea, ostensibly for potential use in a cyberattack.

However, the files in question 

, malware code, or evidence linking the projects to known cyberattacks.

SL

look too

Russia-Ukraine cyberwar: on whose side are the gangs that hack from websites to service stations?

The Russia-Ukraine war increased cyberattacks worldwide: 17% more in Latin America