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IMF Cyberattack Was by Foreign Government: Source

Hacker collective Anonymous not responsible, says security expert

By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 12, 2011 2:04 PM CDT

(Newser) – The cyberattack on IMF was carried out by hackers thought to be connected to a foreign government, not hacker collective Anonymous, according to a security expert familiar with the incident. The hackers removed a “large quantity” of data that included emails and other documents, the source says. Bloomberg obtained internal memos from June 8 warning employees that a computer had been “compromised,” IMF systems accessed, and “suspicious file transfers” carried out the week prior.

The memo continues, “At this point, we have no reason to believe that any personal information was sought for fraud purposes.” Employees had also been warned on June 1 of virus attacks and attempts to hack into the system, and on June 9 they were warned of “increased phishing activity.”

Pedestrians walk past the International Monetary Fund headquarters' complex in Washington in this May 2, 2010 file photo.
Pedestrians walk past the International Monetary Fund headquarters' complex in Washington in this May 2, 2010 file photo.   (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
guvner
Jun 12, 2011 10:53 PM CDT
What? No unemployed "hacktivist" Spaniards to blame for this one?
Scaramouche
Jun 12, 2011 4:46 PM CDT
I have this odd feeling that Anonymous is going to be a scape-goat for more than a few national cyber-departments actions. Anonymous is probably not going to like it. Just saying. Fair warning.
Naked_Emperor
Jun 12, 2011 2:11 PM CDT
is this possible? Is there anything that you can "add" to data to leave a footprint when it is stolen. or a bread trail? The electronic equivalent of the exploding invisible ink that is found inside of fire alarms?
 

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