Argentine Police Foil Multiple Hacking Attempts, Extortion Plot and Efforts to Steal Case Files

• What happened: The Argentine police faced a cyberattack that exposed staff records
• Failed Attempts: Several hacking attempts were made on Wednesday to steal investigative databases
• Suspects: The attack raised suspicion over an ex-Highway Patrol director arrested for exploiting police systems

After several failed attempts to breach the systems of the Córdoba Police, hackers managed to steal basic police human resources data. The presently unknown cybercriminals were reportedly looking to extort the Police of Córdoba, Argentina.

The case was immediately escalated to the Specialized Cybercrime Prosecutor’s Office, which helped foil the plan.

When the Cyberattacks Began

On Wednesday, hackers tried to infiltrate the police database, confirmed the Provincial Security Minister, Juan Pablo Quinteros. “In a brief official statement, the police reported that the attack consisted of unauthorized access to administrative records related to police personnel's employment issues," read an Argentine regional newspaper, La Voz del Interior. 

Authorities confirmed that the intention of the hackers was to steal case information and personal data, potentially for resale. They indicated that details related to ongoing investigations were also their primary target.

However, they could only steal their HR data related to the police staff, which had very little impact on the department or its operations, investigators said.

What was Impacted in the Cordoba Police Data Breach

Sensitive data and critical information related to the operational, institutional, and technical designs, remained untouched throughout the security incident. Nor did the cyberattack pose a risk to citizen security. 

While the cyberattacks were aimed at data exfiltration and online extortion, the Cordoba police data breach was ultimately unsuccessful, authorities confirmed. 

The forensic analysis of the attack vector concluded that no internal vulnerabilities were exploited or structural failures were reported. 

What Preliminary Reports Say About the Culprits

Based on forensic analysis and the targeted information, authorities drew a connection to an ongoing investigation involving a criminal organization allegedly led by Maximiliano Ochoa Roldán.

Roldán is a former Córdoba Highway Patrol director who has been arrested. The arrested group, led by Roldan, is accused of using sensitive data to extort and manipulate legal case outcomes. 

Unlike previous cases where access was made from within the police hierarchy, this attempt involved attacking external police systems.

Targeting of law enforcement is rampant across the globe. However, timely action and strong security measures can prevent serious damage, as demonstrated in this attempted breach of Córdoba’s police systems in Argentina.