Queen’s University computer security expert David Skillicorn is available to talk about The Elderwood hacker gang, an elite hacker group targeting defence industry sub-contractors. The group seems to have an inexhaustible supply of “zero-days,” or an attack that exploits a previously unknown vulnerability in a computer application. There have been about 80 incidents in Canada attributed to this group.

“This group of attackers represents a new level because they are making indirect attacks via the suppliers to high-value targets, they are using up so-called zero-day attacks much more rapidly than a purely criminal group would, they are using a form of targeting called waterholes where they corrupt websites likely to be visited by people from the companies they are targeting and they are also targeting human rights groups,” says Dr. Skillicorn, an expert on cyber-attacks and internet security.

To arrange an interview, please contact communication officers Anne Craig at 613-533-2877 or anne.craig@queensu.ca or Michael Onesi at 613.533.6000 ext. 77513 or michael.onesi@queensu.at Queen’s University News and Media Services Department in Kingston, Ont., Canada.

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