Hello tech enthusiasts! Let’s dive into a serious topic that has been making waves recently.

Belgium is currently scrutinizing a potential data breach involving its state security service, VSSE, linked to hackers believed to be associated with the Chinese government.

As per the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office, investigations into this cyberattack were initiated in November 2023. Reports indicate that the breach allowed hackers to infiltrate VSSE’s external email server over the period from 2021 to 2023.

A vulnerability in Barracuda’s software, a cybersecurity firm based in the U.S., is thought to have been exploited by this Chinese hacking group. This flaw was rated as critical and first disclosed in May 2023.

Lesley Sullivan, a spokesperson for Barracuda, stated that inquiries regarding any breaches at VSSE should be directed to the intelligence agency itself, which has not yet responded to requests for comments.

Experts from Mandiant, another U.S. cybersecurity company, have previously indicated that this vulnerability has been actively used by a China-backed cyber espionage group to target various organizations globally.

Despite a patch being issued to rectify the vulnerability, Barracuda urged customers to replace affected ESG appliances to mitigate any risk. They also advised rotating any related credentials and monitoring for any signs of compromise from as early as October 2022.

According to reports, about 10% of the VSSE’s email communications were compromised during this incident. Thankfully, while the breach did not impact classified information, sensitive personal data belonging to nearly half of VSSE’s employees was reportedly accessed.

Following the attack, VSSE is said to have discontinued the use of Barracuda’s products, a move highlighted by local media.