'Mercenary' hacker group runs rampant in Middle East, cybersecurity research shows

Streetlights illuminate the Saudi Embassy building in Washington, United States, Oct 5. — Raphael Satter/Reuters

WASHINGTON: Saudi diplomats, Sikh separatists and Indian business executives have been among those targeted by a group of hired hackers, according to research published on Oct 7 by software firm BlackBerry Corp.

The report on the group, known publicly as Bahamut, the name assigned to the mythical sea monster of Arab lore, highlights how cybersecurity researchers are increasingly finding evidence of mercenaries online.