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'''Appin''' was an Indian ] 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 |last1=Satter |first1=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 ] pointed to evidence linking Appin to several hacks of high-profile organizations.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Fagerland |first1=Snorre |last2=Kråkvik |first2=Morten |last3=Camp |first3=Jonathan |date=2013 |title=Operation Hangover: Unveiling an Indian Cyberattack Infrastructure |url=http://enterprise.norman.com/resources/files/Unveiling_an_Indian_Cyberattack_Infrastructure.pdf |access-date=2023-12-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130612144153/http://enterprise.norman.com/resources/files/Unveiling_an_Indian_Cyberattack_Infrastructure.pdf |archive-date=2013-06-12 }}</ref> '''Appin''' was an Indian ] 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 |last1=Satter |first1=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 ] pointed to evidence linking Appin to several hacks of high-profile organizations.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Fagerland |first1=Snorre |last2=Kråkvik |first2=Morten |last3=Camp |first3=Jonathan |date=2013 |title=Operation Hangover: Unveiling an Indian Cyberattack Infrastructure |url=http://enterprise.norman.com/resources/files/Unveiling_an_Indian_Cyberattack_Infrastructure.pdf |access-date=2023-12-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130612144153/http://enterprise.norman.com/resources/files/Unveiling_an_Indian_Cyberattack_Infrastructure.pdf |archive-date=2013-06-12 }}</ref>


The company offered what its founders termed "ethical hacking" services.<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=]|location= |access-date=20 Nov 2023}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=The Hack-for-Hire Industry: Death by a Thousand Cuts + When Theft Doesn'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=2024-02-10 |website=Default |language=en}}</ref> Appin reportedly hacked into private computers on behalf of both government and private clients.<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/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231117025741/https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-hackers-appin/ |archive-date=2023-11-17 |access-date=20 Nov 2023 |work=] |location=}}</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 |access-date=20 Nov 2023 |work=] |location=}}</ref><ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.sentinelone.com/labs/elephant-hunting-inside-an-indian-hack-for-hire-group/ |title=Elephant Hunting: Inside an Indian Hack-For-Hire Group |author=Tom Hegel |date=November 16, 2023 |publisher=SentinelLabs |page= |docket= |quote= |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.<ref name="ny-h4hi" /> The company offered what its founders termed "ethical hacking" services.<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=]|location= |access-date=20 Nov 2023}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=The Hack-for-Hire Industry: Death by a Thousand Cuts + When Theft Doesn'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=2024-02-10 |website=Default |language=en}}</ref> Appin reportedly hacked into private computers on behalf of both government and private clients.<ref name="reutersreport">{{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/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231117025741/https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-hackers-appin/ |archive-date=2023-11-17 |access-date=20 Nov 2023 |work=] |location=}}</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 |access-date=20 Nov 2023 |work=] |location=}}</ref><ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.sentinelone.com/labs/elephant-hunting-inside-an-indian-hack-for-hire-group/ |title=Elephant Hunting: Inside an Indian Hack-For-Hire Group |author=Tom Hegel |date=November 16, 2023 |publisher=SentinelLabs |page= |docket= |quote= |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.<ref name="ny-h4hi" />


== Controversies == == Controversies ==
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Appin sued Reuters, claiming 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= }}</ref><ref name=":0" /> It obtained an injunction from a Delhi court and, on December 4, 2023, Reuters temporarily removed its article. Reuters said that it stood by its reporting.<ref>{{cite news |last= Masnick|first= Mike|date= 2023-12-07|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= }}</ref><ref name=":0"/><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> An archived version of the Reuters article hosted on the ] was likewise removed following demands from lawyers representing Appin co-founder Rajat Khare.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schaffer |first=Michael |date=2024-01-19 |title=How a Judge in India Prevented Americans From Seeing a Blockbuster Report |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/01/19/india-judge-reuters-story-00136339 |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}</ref> Appin further sent demands to ], ] and ] to block accounts associated with the authors of the Reuters story.<ref name=":3" /> Appin sued Reuters, claiming 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= }}</ref><ref name=":0" /> It obtained an injunction from a Delhi court and, on December 4, 2023, Reuters temporarily removed its article. Reuters said that it stood by its reporting.<ref>{{cite news |last= Masnick|first= Mike|date= 2023-12-07|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= }}</ref><ref name=":0"/><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> An archived version of the Reuters article hosted on the ] was likewise removed following demands from lawyers representing Appin co-founder Rajat Khare.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schaffer |first=Michael |date=2024-01-19 |title=How a Judge in India Prevented Americans From Seeing a Blockbuster Report |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/01/19/india-judge-reuters-story-00136339 |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}</ref> Appin further sent demands to ], ] and ] to block accounts associated with the authors of the Reuters story.<ref name=":3" />

The Reuters article was restored in October 2024, when the Delhi court rescinded its injunction, noting "the plaintiff has not been able to show any prima facie case to make interference in the process of journalism".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/india/reuters-expos-hack-for-hire-world-is-back-online-after-indian-court-ruling-2024-10-26/ |title=Reuters exposé of hack-for-hire world is back online after Indian court ruling |date=October 26, 2024 |access-date=2024-12-19 |work=Reuters}}</ref> The article is back online at its original location.<ref name="reutersreport"/>


In February 2024, ] reported that lawyers for Appin and a related entity called the <q>Association for Appin Training Centers</q> have filed lawsuits and made legal threats against more than a dozen news organizations. Appin sent emails demanding news site ] and the organization ] which hosted some of the information Reuters relied on. The two sites denied that the injunction was binding on them.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Masnick |first=Mike |date=2024-02-01 |title=Sorry Appin, We're Not Taking Down Our Article About Your Attempts To Silence Reporters |url=https://www.techdirt.com/2024/02/01/sorry-appin-were-not-taking-down-our-article-about-your-attempts-to-silence-reporters/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=Techdirt |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite news |last= Greenberg|first= Andy|date=February 1, 2024|title=A Startup Allegedly Hacked the World. Then Came the Censorship—and Now the Backlash|url=https://www.wired.com/story/appin-training-centers-lawsuits-censorship/ |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-01 |title=The Association of Appin Training Centers is waging a global censorship campaign to stop you from reading these documents |url=https://www.muckrock.com/news/archives/2024/feb/01/global-censorship-appin-reuters/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=MuckRock |language=en-US}}</ref> Other sites, such as the ] blog, removed material based on the Reuters article.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Masnick |first=Mike |date=2024-02-01 |title=Sorry Appin, We're Not Taking Down Our Article About Your Attempts To Silence Reporters |url=https://www.techdirt.com/2024/02/01/sorry-appin-were-not-taking-down-our-article-about-your-attempts-to-silence-reporters/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=Techdirt |language=en-US}}</ref> In February 2024, ] reported that lawyers for Appin and a related entity called the <q>Association for Appin Training Centers</q> have filed lawsuits and made legal threats against more than a dozen news organizations. Appin sent emails demanding news site ] and the organization ] which hosted some of the information Reuters relied on. The two sites denied that the injunction was binding on them.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Masnick |first=Mike |date=2024-02-01 |title=Sorry Appin, We're Not Taking Down Our Article About Your Attempts To Silence Reporters |url=https://www.techdirt.com/2024/02/01/sorry-appin-were-not-taking-down-our-article-about-your-attempts-to-silence-reporters/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=Techdirt |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite news |last= Greenberg|first= Andy|date=February 1, 2024|title=A Startup Allegedly Hacked the World. Then Came the Censorship—and Now the Backlash|url=https://www.wired.com/story/appin-training-centers-lawsuits-censorship/ |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-01 |title=The Association of Appin Training Centers is waging a global censorship campaign to stop you from reading these documents |url=https://www.muckrock.com/news/archives/2024/feb/01/global-censorship-appin-reuters/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=MuckRock |language=en-US}}</ref> Other sites, such as the ] blog, removed material based on the Reuters article.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Masnick |first=Mike |date=2024-02-01 |title=Sorry Appin, We're Not Taking Down Our Article About Your Attempts To Silence Reporters |url=https://www.techdirt.com/2024/02/01/sorry-appin-were-not-taking-down-our-article-about-your-attempts-to-silence-reporters/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=Techdirt |language=en-US}}</ref>

Revision as of 21:51, 19 December 2024

Defunct Indian cybersecurity training institution
Appin
IndustryComputer security
Founded2003
Founder
HeadquartersNew 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. In 2013, a report by Shadowserver Foundation pointed to evidence linking Appin to several hacks of high-profile organizations.

The company offered what its founders termed "ethical hacking" services. Appin reportedly hacked into private computers on behalf of both government and private clients. The firm rebranded in 2022 and its employees went on to form other similar firms including CyberRoot Risk Advisory and BellTroX InfoTech Services.

Controversies

Appin and co-founder Rajat Khare have pressured news sources in multiple countries, including France, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, to remove references in articles to the company and Khare.

On November 16, 2023, Reuters published an article about the company titled, "How an Indian Startup Hacked the World." The article alleged that Appin "grew from an educational startup to a hack-for-hire powerhouse that stole secrets from executives, politicians, military officials and wealthy elites around the globe."

Appin sued Reuters, claiming the news agency had engaged in a "defamatory campaign." It obtained an injunction from a Delhi court and, on December 4, 2023, Reuters temporarily removed its article. Reuters said that it stood by its reporting. An archived version of the Reuters article hosted on the Wayback Machine was likewise removed following demands from lawyers representing Appin co-founder Rajat Khare. Appin further sent demands to Meta Platforms, LinkedIn and Naukri.com to block accounts associated with the authors of the Reuters story.

The Reuters article was restored in October 2024, when the Delhi court rescinded its injunction, noting "the plaintiff has not been able to show any prima facie case to make interference in the process of journalism". The article is back online at its original location.

In February 2024, Wired reported that lawyers for Appin and a related entity called the Association for Appin Training Centers have filed lawsuits and made legal threats against more than a dozen news organizations. Appin sent emails demanding news site Techdirt and the organization MuckRock which hosted some of the information Reuters relied on. The two sites denied that the injunction was binding on them. Other sites, such as the Lawfare blog, removed material based on the Reuters article.

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). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-06-12. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  3. ^ Kirkpatrick, David (1 June 2023). "A Confession Exposes India's Secret Hacking Industry". The New Yorker. Retrieved 20 Nov 2023.
  4. ^ "The Hack-for-Hire Industry: Death by a Thousand Cuts + When Theft Doesn't Work... Troll". Default. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
  5. ^ Satter, Raphael (16 Nov 2023). "How an Indian startup hacked the world". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-11-17. 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. Ingram, Mathew. "A leak-hosting site looks to thaw the chill of censorship". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  9. ^ Greenberg, Andy (February 1, 2024). "A Startup Allegedly Hacked the World. Then Came the Censorship—and Now the Backlash".
  10. ^ "Global censorship campaign raises alarms". Freedom of the Press. 2024-01-18. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  11. Lizza, Ryan; Bade, Rachael; Daniels, Eugene (2023-11-18). "Playbook: Biden vs. Haley on abortion". POLITICO. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  12. Omar, Rashid (December 7, 2023). "Forced To Pull Story On Indian Firm's Alleged Global Hacking Operation, Reuters To Fight Court Order". The Wire.
  13. Masnick, Mike (2023-12-07). "Indian Court Orders Reuters To Take Down Investigative Report Regarding A 'Hack-For-Hire' Company". Techdirt.
  14. Cox ·, Joseph (2023-12-06). "Reuters Takes Down Blockbuster Hacker-for-Hire Investigation After Indian Court Order". 404 Media. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  15. Schaffer, Michael (2024-01-19). "How a Judge in India Prevented Americans From Seeing a Blockbuster Report". POLITICO. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  16. "Reuters exposé of hack-for-hire world is back online after Indian court ruling". Reuters. October 26, 2024. Retrieved 2024-12-19.
  17. ^ Masnick, Mike (2024-02-01). "Sorry Appin, We're Not Taking Down Our Article About Your Attempts To Silence Reporters". Techdirt. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
  18. "The Association of Appin Training Centers is waging a global censorship campaign to stop you from reading these documents". MuckRock. 2024-02-01. Retrieved 2024-02-10.

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