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Hooliganism, a problem that affects the entire world, is frequently linked to violent conduct among football fans. However, the Swiss hooligans affected by a serious security breach aren’t your average aggressive people – they’re listed in government databases.
This security breach was caused by a serious cyberattack on the IT service provider Xplain that happened in early June but only came to light afterwards.
A Glimpse into the HOOGAN Database
Hockey and football games are also affected by hooligan-related violence in Switzerland. As a result, the police created the HOOGAN database to track down hooligans and apply sanctions such gaming bans and consistent reporting to the police.
The HOOGAN database had information on 1,017 hooligans at the time of the leak, and 332 more people were the subject of ongoing investigations. After police measures are no longer in effect, personal information is kept for three years.
Xplain’s Link to Law Enforcement
The Federal Office of Police (Fedpol) is one of the many clients of Xplain, a significant Swiss IT supplier with connections to federal organizations, including the police. The compromised data was taken from a Fedpol information system that had been in place since 2015.
Although more information may have been made public, the police servers were the hacking team’s main goal, which attracted a lot of media attention.
However, there are no specifics on the hooligans’ misdeeds or the authorities’ responses in the files that were made public on the Dark Web. The Fedpol sent letters to the impacted people informing them of the situation.
Switzerland, which has a reputation for upholding rigorous privacy standards in the protection of personal data ranging from banking to police records, is concerned about this security compromise. It is predicted that Xplain may face legal action for its inadequate security protocols.
Unpacking the Hack
To ascertain what caused the hacking event, an inquiry is being conducted. This data was saved using Xplain even though it generally resides on police servers, rendering it vulnerable to the intrusion. According to preliminary findings, Xplain, which makes software for the Swiss police and court system, was not the target of the assault.
The hacking team also obtained papers pertaining to the army and the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security in addition to the HOOGAN data. Despite the fact that files from other universities were made public, the HOOGAN database is far more important.
The compromise exposed personal information on the Dark Web even though it didn’t affect the HOOGAN database’s operation. To find the people behind this illegal publication, many investigations, including ones by the Federal Council and the Office of the Attorney General, are under progress.
These inquiries involve government organizations and the Federal Department of Finance, and they are managed by a covert cell chosen by the Federal Council. The likelihood that the offenders will be caught is yet unknown because to the anonymity of the Dark Web. Investigations could last for several weeks or even months.