US software may have allowed Russia to scrutinize Pentagon cyber-defense system
WASHINGTON/MOSCOW (Reuters) – Hewlett Packard Enterprise allowed a Russian defense agency last year to review the inner workings of cyber-defense software used by the Pentagon to guard its computer networks, according to Russian regulatory records and interviews with people having direct knowledge of the issue.
The HPE system, called ArcSight, serves as a cybersecurity nerve center for much of the US military, alerting analysts when it detects that computer systems may have come under attack. ArcSight is also widely used in the private sector.
The Russian review of ArcSight’s source code, the closely guarded internal instructions of the software, was part of HPE’s effort to win the certification required to sell the product to Russia’s public sector, according to the regulatory records seen by Reuters and confirmed by a company spokeswoman.
Six former US intelligence officials, as well as former ArcSight employees and independent security experts, said the source code review could help Moscow discover weaknesses in the software, potentially helping attackers blind the US military to a cyber attack.
“It’s a huge security vulnerability,” said Greg Martin, a former security architect for ArcSight. “You are definitely giving inner access and potential exploits to an adversary.”
Despite the potential risks to the Pentagon, no one Reuters spoke with was aware of any hacks or cyber espionage that were made possible by the review process.
The ArcSight review took place last year, at a time when Washington was accusing Moscow of an increasing number of cyber attacks against American companies, US politicians and government agencies, including the Pentagon. Russia has repeatedly denied the allegations.
The case highlights a growing tension for US technology companies that must weigh their role as protectors of US cybersecurity while continuing to pursue business with Washington’s adversaries, such as Russia and China, say security experts.