Contractors Hacked Other Contractors and Agencies for Financial Gain

Government (U.S.) // Technology // United States

Twins Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter, 23, admitted breaking into a slate of systems, including State Department networks, while working as government contractors.

They infiltrated State’s networks to steal passport and visa information. Allegedly, the brothers were attempting to create and sell fake immigration documents on the black market.

Then, in February 2015, one of the brothers re-entered the network to access sensitive data on a federal investigator looking into his criminal activity.

Around November 2013, Muneeb hacked the network of a data aggregation company for which he was doing contract work, accessing the company’s database of federal contract information.

The brothers then used that data to enhance their own company’s proposals for government contracts.

In addition, Sohaib conspired with his brother and others to install an electronic device at State with the goal of retaining access to the agency’s networks after leaving his role.