Hackers in 3 Countries Tried to Hit Clinton Server

Congressional docs show emails left vulnerable for months
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 8, 2015 9:19 AM CDT
Hackers in 3 Countries Tried to Hit Clinton Server
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton is seen in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015.   (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Hillary Clinton's private email server was vulnerable to cyberattacks from June to October 2013 when there was no program in place to monitor threats, reports the AP. Shortly after Platte River Networks—which maintained the server at a data center in New Jersey during that time—hired a company to install a product that would block hackers' attempts to gain access in October, it halted five attempted attacks from individuals in China, South Korea, and Germany, per a letter from Sen. Ron Johnson, who’s leading a committee investigation into Clinton’s email. It isn't clear how threatening the attacks were or what security measures were protecting the server prior to June 2013. Clinton's camp calls the probe a "taxpayer-funded sham ... with the sole purpose of attacking Hillary Clinton politically."

Meanwhile, subcontractor Datto, which backed-up Clinton's email, tells the Washington Post it contacted Platte River Networks in August about boosting security when it learned it was handling Clinton's messages. Though there was never sign of a breach, an official says the company feared the emails would be vulnerable to attacks because of the "sensitive high profile nature of the data." Platte River says it ignored the request because the FBI had told it not to make any changes during an investigation. Datto earlier turned over its on-site back-up of Clinton's emails to the FBI, but a "hardware device" relating to an off-site back-up was just handed over on Tuesday, reports Politico, meaning some of Clinton's deleted emails may still be recovered. (Undisclosed Clinton emails have reportedly been found.)

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