NBN "not hacked" in Platform Networks attack, says NBN Co

NBN Co has denied that its systems were compromised during the attack on its partner, Platform Networks, as revealed earlier this week.

An unemployed truck driver from Cowra, David Cecil, who reportedly went by the online alias of 'Evil', was arrested earlier this week for allegedly attempting to hack into the systems of Platform Networks, a National Broadband Network (NBN) service provider.

But despite some creative headlines in the mainstream media, NBN Co insists that the NBN was not compromised in the attacks.

“We were not hacked, compromised or affected. In fact the company said to have been involved has not yet connected services over the NBN,” read a tweet from a representative from NBN Co.

Platform Networks’ managing director, David Hooton, addressed the attack in a letter to Platform customers.

In the letter, Hooton said that Platform had been monitoring suspect activity on its network since late last year.

“In December 2010, during routine systems and network monitoring, Platform Networks became aware of unlawful traffic transiting our network. We commenced a 6 month investigation, collecting information and actively monitoring traffic, which led us to believe that there was malicious traffic transiting our network, which was of a nature that threatened national infrastructure,” the letter read.

According to Hooton, the company immediately involved the Australian Federal Police (AFP) High Tech Crimes Commission.

Interestingly, the letter claims that the attacks were not specifically aimed at Platform or any of its customers. Comment is currently being sought on the true target of the attacks.

Hooton said that while the company would like to provide more transparency into the attacks, the information it can currently disclose is limited, due to the ongoing investigation into the matter.

But, he added, the company would provide a “detailed report” as soon as it was allowed.

Platform customers looking for a security briefing can contact the company on 02 9191 9000 or via email at support@platformnetworks.net.

Distribute.IT link

And in another twist to the story, defunct Australian webhost Distribute.IT has claimed that the person behind the Platform attack is the same person that hacked into Distribute.IT’s systems earlier this year, ultimately leading to the destruction of the company.

“We call on ‘Evil’ to apologise to all the businesses he ruined as a result of the targeted hacking attack,” a statement on Distribute.IT’s website reads.

But according to Delimiter, the AFP has declined to confirm these claims.

“The man arrested on hacking offences has only been charged with offences that relate to Platform Networks,” an AFP spokesperson told Delimiter. “The AFP cannot speculate on charges that have not yet been laid.”

Renai LeMay, writer at Delimiter, speculates that “this time frame implies the AFP had already been investigating the suspect for a period of six months leading up to the Distribute.IT hacks”.