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U.S. Federal Reserve confirmed the breach of one of its internal websites by the hands of Anonymous hackers, but denied that the file containing personal information of over 4,000 U.S. bank executives the attackers made available for download contained passwords.
"Exposure was fixed shortly after discovery and is no longer an issue. This incident did not affect critical operations of the Federal Reserve system," the spokeswoman said, adding that all individuals effected by the breach had been contacted.
It is unknown which website was hacked, but the stolen data apparently consisted of a contact database for banks to use during a natural disaster.
he Federal Reserve website is the last target of Anonymous’ OpLastResort. Initiated last week as a reaction to the U.S. government's role in the suicide of Internet activist Aaron Swartz, it already resulted in the hacks of the websites belonging to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, the Eastern District of Michigan U.S. Probation Office, and the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center, where the stolen file was initially hosted.
Cyber-security specialists said that any organization's computer systems could be breached, and that it was up to an organization like the Fed to prioritize its security needs, in order to protect its most sensitive information from attack.
"Every system is going to have some vulnerability to it. You cannot set up a system that will survive all possible attacks," said Mark Rasch, director of Privacy and security consulting at CSC and a former federal cyber crimes prosecutor.
"You have to defend against every possible vulnerability and the attackers only have to find one way in," he said.
Personally, I suspect that the true power of Anonymous isn't in the technical abilities of it's members... but instead their actual identities.. for all we know - some of them could work and play within the system....
Originally posted by DAZ21
To actually see people one day, plead to be more secure from the likes of Anonymous and Co.
The internal website that the hackers breached was a contact database for banks to use during a natural disaster—basically, execs used it to update the Federal Reserve on whether or not their operations have been damaged in a disaster. It was not a public website.
My comment about them "working and playing within the system" is a sort of axiom I offer. Why does Anonymous have to necessarily be "the script kiddie" or "basement dwelling e-troglodyte" that people seem to love to accept? Is it not just as likely that associate directors, upper level managers, security staff, and others may be inclined to find the conduct of those in power (government or corporate - as if there was a difference) as repugnant as many of us do?
Originally posted by sdrawkcabII
After sitting back and carefully observing Anonymous' tactics over the past several months, I'm leaning more and more towards this being a psy-op. Government needs a reason and excuse to clamp down on cyber activity and information, and I think this is it.
I believe that its possible that Anon started as a few hackers who had something to say, but they has since expanded into a global movement, where anyone can carry the moniker. You see, the problem with naming yourself Anonymous, or choosing to be nameless, is that anyone can easily assume your identity/name and commit acts that no one has to be accountable for (if they're not caught). This gives leeway for government intelligence firms to use the Anonymous name to push their agenda of internet control. I think this is what is happening now. It is not beyond them to do this. They did it with the WTC car bomb in '91, and failed. They did it with the WTC on 9/11 again, and succeeded. They did it with Saddam, they did it with Gaddafi, they tried to do with KONY 2012, and failed, they're attempting to do it with gun control at this very moment, and they're doing it now, targeting internet security, to persuade the public to demand internet control...mark my words!
Watch closely and observe everything as this planned situation will spiral out of control. Very soon, "Anonymous" will cause a major leak of "sensitive information" potentially affecting National Security, and the privacy and safety of the American public. The media will jump on it (they're paid to do it, it's their job), publicize it, contort facts into propaganda, talk shows will jump on it, bills will be brought up, national security will be brought up, the unaware in the public will demand it, and the bill will be passed.
Mark my words!
No, I am not a prophet. I'm just a simple man who has been looking from sidelines and have seen through their veil. They're making it too easy now...way too easy to see. Anyone who has been paying attention can easily see it.
Originally posted by votan
reply to post by Maxmars
Anonymous is the government attempting to justify the crack down on the net. It is pretty dang obvious.
Originally posted by Maxmars
It may not be news... except the Federal Reserve is insisting that the beach was a "temporary vulnerability in a website vendor product."
The institution suffers the universal(?) governmental vulnerability they always refuse to acknowledge.... that there is some unwritten law among them forcing them to use 'contractor' and 'third-party' expertise to provide them with security.
Failure after failure of 'contracted' IT services seems not to have persuaded anyone in the arena of high-level government (or in this case "quasi-governmental") procurement decisions.
Originally posted by SheopleNation
Foolish misled mortals, Anon works for the Masters of Puppets. It has become so easy to herd the sheople together and feed them whatever they wish. They gotta fatten you up so that you're good and ready for the slaughter.
Wake up to their disinfo agenda. You gotta read between the lies my friends. Read between their lies. ~$heopleNationedit on 6-2-2013 by SheopleNation because: TypO