A scandal has erupted in Turkey following the arrest of seven individuals suspected of espionage in the defense industry. The detainees, among them former customs service officers, are accused of military and commercial espionage after the alleged theft of secret information from the servers of the Ministry of Trade. It is claimed that the stolen data included information pertaining to the leading defense contractor ASELSAN, which was subsequently put up for sale on the Internet.
The arrests are the result of a large-scale investigation initiated by the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office for Crimes of a Terrorist Nature. According to preliminary investigation data, the stolen files contained both commercial information and data affecting Turkey’s national security. It is emphasized that such a data leak creates a potential threat of confidential information falling into the hands of terrorist groups or foreign intelligence agencies.
ASELSAN, a key defense contractor in Turkey and a supplier for a number of NATO member countries, plays a central role in the country’s armed forces upgrade program. Experts have expressed concerns that the data leak could have international repercussions and call into question the level of cybersecurity within the Turkish defense sector.
The investigation has established that technical specifications for a range of ASELSAN products, including grenade launchers and infantry rifles, were transferred to data storage companies in East Asia. The leaked information included details on the quantity, weight, and types of products, for whose export authorization from the Turkish Ministry of Defense is typically required. According to the authorities, the stolen data was sold through Telegram channels and other online platforms.