Elfin has attacked at least 50 organisations in Saudi Arabia, US and elsewhere in the past few years. Reuters
Elfin has attacked at least 50 organisations in Saudi Arabia, US and elsewhere in the past few years. Reuters
Elfin has attacked at least 50 organisations in Saudi Arabia, US and elsewhere in the past few years. Reuters
Elfin has attacked at least 50 organisations in Saudi Arabia, US and elsewhere in the past few years. Reuters

Cyber espionage group Elfin targets Saudi Arabian enterprises


Alkesh Sharma
  • English
  • Arabic

Cyber espionage group Elfin is targeting organisations across a diverse range of sectors in Saudi Arabia, the Arab world’s largest economy.

Elfin – commonly known as APT33 - accounted for 41 per cent of attacks on Saudi Arabia detected since 2016, said American software firm Symantec. The kingdom is followed by the US (34 per cent), Belgium (5 per cent) and UK and Jordan (4 per cent each).

“The group has remained highly active over the past three years, utilising a wide array of tools against its victims ranging from custom-built malware to off-the-shelf RATs,” said Sunil Varkey, chief technical officer, emerging markets, at Symantec.

RAT (remote access Trojan) is a malicious software that includes a "back door" allowing administrative control over a target computer.

Elfin has compromised a wide range of targets in the region, including government entities and businesses active in the fields of research, chemicals, engineering, manufacturing, consulting, finance and telecoms.

Although Symantec did not reveal the origin of Elfin, other independent researchers have confirmed Iranian cyber criminals are behind its operations.

Elfin has attacked at least 50 organisations in Saudi Arabia, US and in other countries in past few years, said Mr Varkey, adding that it specialises in scanning for vulnerable websites to identify potential targets.

Cybersecurity is a significant concern for Arabian Gulf countries and a growing consideration in their defence budgets as they look to curb Iranian influence in the region.

In a report published last month, tech giant Microsoft linked Iranian hackers to cyber attacks that targeted thousands of people at more than 200 companies, including some in the kingdom.

Cybercrime cost about $600 billion (Dh2.2 trillion) globally in 2017, or 0.8 per cent of the world’s gross domestic product, according to a report by McAfee, a computer security software company, and the Centre for Strategic and International Studies based in Washington.

Iran has been accused of launching state-sponsored cyber espionage attacks against the Middle East in the past. In January cyber-espionage analysts told The National that an Iranian group called APT39, which was mainly targeting the telecoms industry in the Middle East, had been exposed by the US-based cyber-security firm FireEye.

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Results

5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,600m, Winner: Panadol, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)

6.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m, Winner: Mayehaab, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass

6.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Monoski, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer

7.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Eastern World, Royston Ffrench, Charlie Appleby

7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Madkal, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass

8.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Taneen, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi

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Company profile

Name: Tratok Portal

Founded: 2017

Based: UAE

Sector: Travel & tourism

Size: 36 employees

Funding: Privately funded

Schedule
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Napoleon
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Bharat

Director: Ali Abbas Zafar

Starring: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

UAE%20Warriors%2033%20Results
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Match info

Bournemouth 1 (King 45 1')
Arsenal 2 (Lerma 30' og, Aubameyang 67')

Man of the Match: Sead Kolasinac (Arsenal)

RESULTS

6.30pm: Longines Conquest Classic Dh150,000 Maiden 1,200m.
Winner: Halima Hatun, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ismail Mohammed (trainer).

7.05pm: Longines Gents La Grande Classique Dh155,000 Handicap 1,200m.
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Winner: Secret Trade, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

10pm: Longines Moon Phase Master Collection Dh170,000 Handicap 2,000m.
Winner:

Match info

Uefa Champions League Group C

Liverpool v Napoli, midnight

Need to know

When: October 17 until November 10

Cost: Entry is free but some events require prior registration

Where: Various locations including National Theatre (Abu Dhabi), Abu Dhabi Cultural Center, Zayed University Promenade, Beach Rotana (Abu Dhabi), Vox Cinemas at Yas Mall, Sharjah Youth Center

What: The Korea Festival will feature art exhibitions, a B-boy dance show, a mini K-pop concert, traditional dance and music performances, food tastings, a beauty seminar, and more.

For more information: www.koreafestivaluae.com

Match info

Uefa Champions League Group B

Barcelona v Tottenham Hotspur, midnight

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Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

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