Xetron

Xetron Corporation is a Northrop Grumman Corporation subsidiary[4] and government contractor developing software and communications systems.

Xetron Corporation
IndustryComputer surveillance / security
Founded1972 (1972)[1]
Headquarters460 W Crescentville Rd, Cincinnati, Ohio
Key people
Bob Watson[2][3]
Websitemeetngc.com/xetron/

Background

Xetron used to produce the popular Xetron SPL-60 low noise audio amplifier with a tunable comb notch filter.[5]

On 9 July 1992, the first AM IBOC transmission was sent from the Xetron offices in Cincinnati, since the company was contracted by the USADR to work on the project.[6][7]

In 2000, the company was awarded a $2.1 million contract from ViaSat to develop a MIDS-LVT radio system.[8]

Intelligence work for the government

In 2011 it was revealed that the company worked with HBGary and Palantir on attribution for deanonymizing Internet activists of Anonymous.[9][10]

According to documents leaked by Edward Snowden it has been sharing hacking techniques with intelligence agencies since at least 2010. In that year they developed a malicious Windows software named "Orca" for preventing malware detection by antivirus software.[10]

With WikiLeaks' Vault 7 disclosures in 2017, it was revealed that Xetron developed tools allowing unauthorized access to Cisco routers for the CIA as well as "Cinnamon" − an implant for Cisco devices. According to the documents, they also developed software for control of compromised computers via command servers for the agency. As of March 2017 the company's name shows up in nearly 400 of the leak's documents.[10]

The Intercept revealed in 2017 that some employees of Xetron were suddenly subjected to a polygraph. It was unclear whether this was due to an active investigation into the source of the leaks or simply a stepped-up security requirement.[11][12][10]

References
  1. "USADR Technical Partners" (PDF). Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  2. "Northrop Grumman's Xetron subsidiary has won a subcontract from ITT". aviationweek.com. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  3. "Northrop Grumman unit wins Army radio contract addition". aviationweek.com. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  4. "Northrop Grumman Subsidiary Xetron Awarded $2.1 Million ViaSat Subcontract". Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  5. "TSCM Test Equipment - TSCM Specific Instrumentation". www.tscm.com. Retrieved 2019-07-07.
  6. Maxson, David (2007). The IBOC Handbook: Understanding HD Radio (TM) Technology. CRC Press. p. 13. ISBN 9781136033780.
  7. "Open Mic: IBOC History, part 1". Radio World. 2007-05-01. Retrieved 2019-07-07.
  8. "Xetron provide RF amplifiers for tactical radio system". Flightglobal.com. 2000-02-24. Retrieved 2019-07-07.
  9. "HBGary - Xetron". Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  10. McLaughlin, Jenna. "Meet the Midwestern Contractor That Appears Hundreds of Times in the CIA WikiLeaks Dump". The Intercept. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  11. "Meet Xetron, a Little-Known But Enormous CIA Contract Shop". Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  12. "WikiLeaks, così la Cia depista i raid nei computer: svelato il 'Marble Framework'". Repubblica.it (in Italian). 31 March 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
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