MOSCOW, February 11 (RAPSI) – Kaspersky Lab has uncovered a global cyber spying network that has been in operation since at least 2007, according to the statement Moscow-based antivirus and Internet security software company released on Tuesday.

The network has been dubbed The Mask for the translation of the Spanish word Careto, which appears in the malware code. Kaspersky Lab experts believe that the network attacked 380 government agencies, diplomatic offices and embassies, energy, oil and gas companies and political activists in 31 countries.

The network used sophisticated malware to infect computers running Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac software, and possibly mobile devices running Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android software. According to Kaspersky Lab, the attackers’ main goal was to steal documents, encryption keys and other sensitive files, as well as to take full control of infected computers.

Kaspersky experts say the campaign was started by a Spanish-speaking country, which is completely unusual for such attacks. Their analysis shows that The Mask had been running for five years until January 2014, when Kaspersky exposed it because its own software was infected.