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Insiders Suspected in Guanajuato Prosecutor's Office Cyberattack

Written by Adrian León | Nov 25, 2025 1:00:01 PM

In recent days, a story has circulated that caught the attention of media outlets, analysts, and even artificial intelligence tools: a supposed Turkish group named Tekir APT allegedly breached the critical infrastructure of Guanajuato’s State Prosecutor’s Office (FGE Guanajuato), exfiltrating over 250 GB of sensitive information.

At first glance, the case was presented as a sophisticated foreign operation. However, when reviewing the technical evidence, the attackers’ behavior, and even the linguistic details of the statement, the picture changes entirely. At TecnetOne, we see clear signs that this attack has nothing to do with Turkey—and everything to do with Mexico.

Everything points to one thing: Mexican insiders—or at least local actors with internal access—disguising the operation under an exotic name to mislead investigators.

 

What Did "Tekir APT" Claim to Do?

 

The group claims to have stolen:

 

  1. Complete judicial files

 

  1. SQL databases

 

  1. Administrative credentials

 

  1. Municipal recordings

 

  1. Internal communications

 

  1. Sensitive documents from various units

 

They reported exfiltrating over 250 GB of data—something difficult for an external attacker without privileged and sustained access. Ironically, they repeatedly stated they weren’t insiders, which is one of the clearest signs that they probably were.

 

Technical Evidence: Too Much Access for an Outsider

 

The screenshots shared by “Tekir APT” show:

 

  1. Internal panels from FGE

 

  1. Direct views of judicial databases

 

  1. Institutional records not accessible externally

 

  1. Critical infrastructure browsed from inside the domain

 

To exfiltrate 250 GB without triggering alerts, saturating connections, or disabling services, you need more than a remote exploit—you need internal credentials, trusted access, or a shared password from employees.

One alarming detail: some internal passwords were literally “12345678” and “123456789.” In 2025. That’s less “Turkish APT” and more like someone inside exploiting poorly secured infrastructure.

 

Learn more: Is the Mexican Government Being Hacked by Its Own Employees?

 

A Dark Web Site That Doesn’t Work: Strange Behavior for an APT

 

The attackers said they would publish the information on a Tor-based site. But:

 

  1. The site never worked

 

  1. There were no mirrors

 

  1. No fallback domains

 

  1. No actual activity

 

  1. It didn’t follow standard practices of ransomware or leak groups

 

This is atypical for professional actors. Groups like LockBit, Medusa, Black Basta, or even Latin American collectives like Guacamaya always maintain redundant systems. Tekir didn’t.

A legitimate Turkish group would have had solid infrastructure, prior repositories, and clear communication channels. Tekir APT had none.

 

OSINT Analysis: They Simply Don’t Exist

 

When tracking the alias in threat intelligence platforms, something very interesting happens: Tekir APT is nowhere to be found.

They don’t show up in:

 

  1. Underground forums (Dread, XSS, Exploit, BreachForums)

 

  1. Ransomware trackers (Ransomlook, Ransomfeed, LiveRansomware)

 

  1. APT repositories (MITRE, Group-IB, Recorded Future, CrowdStrike)

 

  1. Turkish OSINT (including Turkish Hack Team or Ayyildiz Tim)

 

No history, reputation, prior activity, or structure. It’s as if the name was invented the same week of the attack. That doesn’t happen with real international groups—but it does when a local actor tries to create a smokescreen.

 

Linguistic Analysis: Errors Reveal Mexican Origin

 

The statement released by “Tekir APT” was in English but contained errors inconsistent with Turkish speakers. On the contrary, they match literal translations from Mexican Spanish.

Examples:

 

  1. “We stealed” (a direct calque of “nos robamos”)

 

  1. Phrases like “there’s no other explanation”

 

  1. Mexican sarcasm: “Don’t be funny, kids”

 

  1. Cutesy ironic humor: “We are cute kitties”

 

These don’t align with Turkish syntax, common Turkish-English errors, or the nationalist narrative typical of Turkish cyber groups. But they do match the tone and humor of self-styled “anti-corruption” Mexican collectives—similar to Lapsus$ (Mexican branch).

 

What Was the Original Text Likely in Spanish?

 

The structure, tone, and humor suggest the original may have sounded like this:

“Los datos que robamos incluyen todos los expedientes penales de la Fiscalía, datos personales de funcionarios, grabaciones municipales y todas las bases SQL. Las autoridades lo negaron todo. No hay de otra: esto beneficia a alguien dentro del gobierno. No hay explicación para contraseñas como 12345678 o que VEEAM y Security Center estén en el mismo dominio. Si hubieran cooperado, habríamos borrado todo. Somos gatitos lindos.”

That’s classic Mexican phrasing—not Turkish.

 

Similar titles: Mexican Water Infrastructure Under Fire: Rising Cyberattacks

 

Comparison With Real Groups: Where Tekir Actually Fits

 

When compared with known actors:

 

  1. Similarity to Guacamaya → Low

 

  1. Similarity to LockBit → Minimal

 

  1. Similarity to Lapsus$ (Mexican version) → Very high

 

  1. Similarity to Mexican insiders → Extremely high

 

The attack patterns resemble:

 

  1. Internal leaks

 

  1. Poorly secured admin access

 

  1. Institutional negligence

 

  1. Even internal disputes between government units

 

There’s no geopolitical motivation, Turkish symbols, or regional narrative typical of foreign APTs.

 

Why Pretend to Be a Turkish APT?

 

Three clear reasons:

 

  1. To deflect attention from internal conflict
    If the leak benefits someone within the institution, blaming a foreign group is the perfect cover.

 

  1. To avoid direct retaliation
    An “international” attack is harder to trace and punish.

 

  1. To amplify media impact
    Saying “Turkish APT” sounds stronger than “angry insiders.”

 

Conclusion: The Attack Was Real—But Not From Turkey

 

After analyzing:

 

  1. Technical evidence

 

  1. Privileged access

 

  1. Strange Tor site behavior

 

  1. Complete lack of OSINT history

 

  1. Linguistic style

 

  1. Mexican institutional context

 

Everything points to the same conclusion: the attack did happen, but it was carried out by Mexican insiders, not a professional Turkish group.

The name “Tekir APT” was just a mask. And their repeated claim of not being insiders is exactly what gives them away.

At TecnetOne, we always remind our partners: the enemy isn’t always outside. Sometimes, it’s already inside your system.