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{{Company
{{Company
| name = Appin
| name = Appin
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'''Appin''' was an Indian [[cyberespionage]] company started in 2003 and run by brothers Rajat and Anuj Khare. Although it initially started as a cybersecurity training firm, by 2010 the company had begun providing hacking services for governments and corporate clients.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Satter |first=Raphael |last2=Bing |first2=Christopher |date=2022-06-30 |title=How mercenary hackers swat litigation battles |url=https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-hackers-litigation/}}</ref> In 2013, a report by [[Shadowserver Foundation]] publicly attributed several hacks of high-profile organizations to Appin.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fagerland |first=Snorre |last2=Kråkvik |first2=Morten |last3=Camp |first3=Jonathan |date=2013 |title=Operation Hangover: Unveiling an Indian Cyberattack Infrastructure |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130612144153/http://enterprise.norman.com/resources/files/Unveiling_an_Indian_Cyberattack_Infrastructure.pdf |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=web.archive.org}}</ref> The company offered “ethical hacking” to prospective clients.<ref name="ny-h4hi">{{cite magazine |last=Kirkpatrick|first=David|date=1 June 2023|title=A Confession Exposes India's Secret Hacking Industry|url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-crime/a-confession-exposes-indias-secret-hacking-industry|magazine=[[The New Yorker]]|location= |access-date=20 Nov 2023}}</ref>
'''Appin''' was an Indian [[cyberespionage]] company started in 2003 and run by brothers Rajat and Anuj Khare. Although it initially started as a cybersecurity training firm, by 2010 the company had begun providing hacking services for governments and corporate clients.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Satter |first=Raphael |last2=Bing |first2=Christopher |date=2022-06-30 |title=How mercenary hackers swat litigation battles |url=https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-hackers-litigation/}}</ref> In 2013, a report by [[Shadowserver Foundation]] publicly attributed several hacks of high-profile organizations to Appin.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fagerland |first=Snorre |last2=Kråkvik |first2=Morten |last3=Camp |first3=Jonathan |date=2013 |title=Operation Hangover: Unveiling an Indian Cyberattack Infrastructure |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130612144153/http://enterprise.norman.com/resources/files/Unveiling_an_Indian_Cyberattack_Infrastructure.pdf |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=web.archive.org}}</ref> The company offered “ethical hacking” to prospective clients.<ref name="ny-h4hi">{{cite magazine |last=Kirkpatrick|first=David|date=1 June 2023|title=A Confession Exposes India's Secret Hacking Industry|url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-crime/a-confession-exposes-indias-secret-hacking-industry|magazine=[[The New Yorker]]|location= |access-date=20 Nov 2023}}</ref>


The firm rebranded in 2022 and its employees went on to form other similar firms including CyberRoot Risk Advisory and BellTroX InfoTech Services. Appin hacked into private computers for state security agencies and private investigators.<ref>{{cite news |last=Satter|first=Raphael|date=16 Nov 2023|title=How an Indian startup hacked the world|url=https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-hackers-appin/|work=[[Reuters]]|location= |access-date=20 Nov 2023|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.is/ICHpD|archive-date=7 Dec 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Greenberg|first=Andy|date=10 Nov 2023|title=The Startup That Transformed the Hack-for-Hire Industry|url=https://www.wired.com/story/indian-startup-hack-for-hire-security-roundup/|magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|location= |access-date=20 Nov 2023}}</ref><ref name="ny-h4hi"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Wild|first=Franz|date=11 May 2022|title=Inside the global hack-for-hire industry|url=https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2022-11-05/inside-the-global-hack-for-hire-industry|work=[[Bureau of Investigative Journalism]]|location= |access-date=20 Nov 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite report |author= Tom Hegel|author-link= |date= November 16, 2023|title= Elephant Hunting: Inside an Indian Hack-For-Hire Group|url= https://www.sentinelone.com/labs/elephant-hunting-inside-an-indian-hack-for-hire-group/|publisher=SentinelLabs|page= |docket= |access-date= |quote=|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117061038/https://www.sentinelone.com/labs/elephant-hunting-inside-an-indian-hack-for-hire-group/|archive-date=17 Nov 2023}}</ref>
The firm rebranded in 2022 and its employees went on to form other similar firms including CyberRoot Risk Advisory and BellTroX InfoTech Services. Appin hacked into private computers for state security agencies and private investigators.<ref>{{cite news |last=Satter|first=Raphael|date=16 Nov 2023|title=How an Indian startup hacked the world|url=https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-hackers-appin/|work=[[Reuters]]|location= |access-date=20 Nov 2023|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive./|archive-date=7 Dec 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Greenberg|first=Andy|date=10 Nov 2023|title=The Startup That Transformed the Hack-for-Hire Industry|url=https://www.wired.com/story/indian-startup-hack-for-hire-security-roundup/|magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|location= |access-date=20 Nov 2023}}</ref><ref name="ny-h4hi"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Wild|first=Franz|date=11 May 2022|title=Inside the global hack-for-hire industry|url=https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2022-11-05/inside-the-global-hack-for-hire-industry|work=[[Bureau of Investigative Journalism]]|location= |access-date=20 Nov 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite report |author= Tom Hegel|author-link= |date= November 16, 2023|title= Elephant Hunting: Inside an Indian Hack-For-Hire Group|url= https://www.sentinelone.com/labs/elephant-hunting-inside-an-indian-hack-for-hire-group/|publisher=SentinelLabs|page= |docket= |access-date= |quote=|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117061038/https://www.sentinelone.com/labs/elephant-hunting-inside-an-indian-hack-for-hire-group/|archive-date=17 Nov 2023}}</ref>


In November 2023, Appin lawyers filed a lawsuit against [[Reuters]], claiming that the news agency had engaged in a “defamatory campaign.”<ref>{{cite news |last= Omar |first= Rashid|date= December 7, 2023|title= Forced To Pull Story On Indian Firm's Alleged Global Hacking Operation, Reuters To Fight Court Order|url= https://thewire.in/law/delhi-court-reuters-takes-down-story-indian-firm-hacking|work= The Wire|location= |access-date=}}</ref> On December 4, 2023, Reuters temporarily removed an article about the company's “hack for hire” services, “How an Indian startup hacked the world,” to comply with a Delhi district court order, though Reuters reiterated that it stood by its reporting.<ref>{{cite news |last= Masnick|first= Mike|date= December 7, 2023|title= Indian Court Orders Reuters To Take Down Investigative Report Regarding A 'Hack-For-Hire' Company|url=https://www.techdirt.com/2023/12/07/indian-court-orders-reuters-to-take-down-investigative-report-regarding-a-hack-for-hire-company/|work= Techdirt |location= |access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Hack-for-Hire Industry: Death by a Thousand Cuts + When Theft Doesn&#39;t Work... Troll |url=https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-hack-for-hire-industry-death-by-a-thousand-cuts-when-theft-doesn't-work-troll |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=Default |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cox · |first=Joseph |date=2023-12-06 |title=Reuters Takes Down Blockbuster Hacker-for-Hire Investigation After Indian Court Order |url=https://www.404media.co/reuters-takes-down-blockbuster-hacker-for-hire-investigation-after-indian-court-order/ |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=404 Media |language=en}}</ref>
In November 2023, Appin lawyers filed a lawsuit against [[Reuters]], claiming that the news agency had engaged in a “defamatory campaign.”<ref>{{cite news |last= Omar |first= Rashid|date= December 7, 2023|title= Forced To Pull Story On Indian Firm's Alleged Global Hacking Operation, Reuters To Fight Court Order|url= https://thewire.in/law/delhi-court-reuters-takes-down-story-indian-firm-hacking|work= The Wire|location= |access-date=}}</ref> On December 4, 2023, Reuters temporarily removed an article about the company's “hack for hire” services, “How an Indian startup hacked the world,” to comply with a Delhi district court order, though Reuters reiterated that it stood by its reporting.<ref>{{cite news |last= Masnick|first= Mike|date= December 7, 2023|title= Indian Court Orders Reuters To Take Down Investigative Report Regarding A 'Hack-For-Hire' Company|url=https://www.techdirt.com/2023/12/07/indian-court-orders-reuters-to-take-down-investigative-report-regarding-a-hack-for-hire-company/|work= Techdirt |location= |access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Hack-for-Hire Industry: Death by a Thousand Cuts + When Theft Doesn&#39;t Work... Troll |url=https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-hack-for-hire-industry-death-by-a-thousand-cuts-when-theft-doesn't-work-troll |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=Default |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cox · |first=Joseph |date=2023-12-06 |title=Reuters Takes Down Blockbuster Hacker-for-Hire Investigation After Indian Court Order |url=https://www.404media.co/reuters-takes-down-blockbuster-hacker-for-hire-investigation-after-indian-court-order/ |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=404 Media |language=en}}</ref>

Revision as of 18:19, 1 February 2024

Appin
IndustryComputer_security
Founded2003
Founder
  • Rajat Khare
  • Anuj Khare
Headquarters
New Delhi
,
India
Services

Appin was an Indian cyberespionage company started in 2003 and run by brothers Rajat and Anuj Khare. Although it initially started as a cybersecurity training firm, by 2010 the company had begun providing hacking services for governments and corporate clients.[1] In 2013, a report by Shadowserver Foundation publicly attributed several hacks of high-profile organizations to Appin.[2] The company offered “ethical hacking” to prospective clients.[3]

The firm rebranded in 2022 and its employees went on to form other similar firms including CyberRoot Risk Advisory and BellTroX InfoTech Services. Appin hacked into private computers for state security agencies and private investigators.[4][5][3][6][7]

In November 2023, Appin lawyers filed a lawsuit against Reuters, claiming that the news agency had engaged in a “defamatory campaign.”[8] On December 4, 2023, Reuters temporarily removed an article about the company's “hack for hire” services, “How an Indian startup hacked the world,” to comply with a Delhi district court order, though Reuters reiterated that it stood by its reporting.[9][10][11]

References

  1. ^ Satter, Raphael; Bing, Christopher (2022-06-30). "How mercenary hackers swat litigation battles".
  2. ^ Fagerland, Snorre; Kråkvik, Morten; Camp, Jonathan (2013). "Operation Hangover: Unveiling an Indian Cyberattack Infrastructure" (PDF). web.archive.org. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  3. ^ a b c Kirkpatrick, David (1 June 2023). "A Confession Exposes India's Secret Hacking Industry". The New Yorker. Retrieved 20 Nov 2023.
  4. ^ Satter, Raphael (16 Nov 2023). "How an Indian startup hacked the world". Reuters. Archived from the original on 7 Dec 2023. Retrieved 20 Nov 2023. {{cite news}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 17 November 2023 suggested (help)
  5. ^ Greenberg, Andy (10 Nov 2023). "The Startup That Transformed the Hack-for-Hire Industry". Wired. Retrieved 20 Nov 2023.
  6. ^ Wild, Franz (11 May 2022). "Inside the global hack-for-hire industry". Bureau of Investigative Journalism. Retrieved 20 Nov 2023.
  7. ^ Tom Hegel (November 16, 2023). Elephant Hunting: Inside an Indian Hack-For-Hire Group (Report). SentinelLabs. Archived from the original on 17 Nov 2023.
  8. ^ Omar, Rashid (December 7, 2023). "Forced To Pull Story On Indian Firm's Alleged Global Hacking Operation, Reuters To Fight Court Order". The Wire.
  9. ^ Masnick, Mike (December 7, 2023). "Indian Court Orders Reuters To Take Down Investigative Report Regarding A 'Hack-For-Hire' Company". Techdirt.
  10. ^ "The Hack-for-Hire Industry: Death by a Thousand Cuts + When Theft Doesn't Work... Troll". Default. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  11. ^ Cox ·, Joseph (2023-12-06). "Reuters Takes Down Blockbuster Hacker-for-Hire Investigation After Indian Court Order". 404 Media. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
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