Operation C-Major is an information theft campaign identified by CIRCL that specifically targets military personnel in India. The campaign appears to be focused on gathering sensitive information through open-source intelligence (OSINT) methods, potentially leveraging social engineering or spear-phishing tactics aimed at individuals within the Indian military sector. Although detailed technical indicators and exploit mechanisms are not provided, the campaign's objective is to exfiltrate confidential or sensitive data from targeted personnel, which could include personal information, credentials, or operational details. The campaign was active or identified around early 2016, with a medium severity rating assigned by the source. No specific vulnerabilities, malware signatures, or exploit code are documented, and there are no known exploits in the wild linked to this campaign. The lack of detailed technical data suggests the campaign relies on targeted information gathering rather than exploiting software vulnerabilities. The threat level and analysis scores indicate a moderate concern, primarily due to the strategic nature of the targets and the potential sensitivity of the stolen information.

For European organizations, the direct impact of Operation C-Major is likely limited given the campaign's focus on Indian military personnel. However, the broader implications of such targeted information theft campaigns highlight the risk to military and defense-related personnel globally, including in Europe. European defense organizations and military personnel could be similarly targeted by analogous campaigns, potentially leading to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive operational information, espionage, or compromise of personnel credentials. This could undermine national security, disrupt military operations, and damage trust in defense institutions. Additionally, if similar campaigns evolve or expand geographically, European entities involved in defense cooperation with India or those sharing intelligence could face indirect risks. The campaign underscores the importance of vigilance against OSINT-based social engineering attacks within sensitive sectors.

To mitigate risks from similar information theft campaigns, European military and defense organizations should implement targeted countermeasures beyond generic advice. These include conducting regular security awareness training focused on OSINT risks and social engineering tactics tailored to military personnel; enforcing strict access controls and multi-factor authentication for sensitive systems and communications; monitoring for unusual access patterns or data exfiltration attempts; employing threat intelligence sharing with allied nations to detect emerging campaigns; and limiting the exposure of personnel information on public platforms to reduce OSINT attack surface. Additionally, organizations should conduct periodic audits of personnel digital footprints and implement incident response plans specifically addressing targeted information theft scenarios. Collaboration with national cybersecurity agencies to receive timely alerts and guidance is also critical.