Hackers accessed more than 100,000 systems at home and abroad

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

http://www.helsinki-hs.net/news.asp?id=20020225IE2

Monday 25.2.2002 

Two 18-year-old Helsinki youths are suspected of having taken part in
the largest data security breach ever recorded in Finland. The pair
are believed to have hacked into the data systems of upwards of
100,000 companies and other organisations in Finland and abroad.
    
According to a report on YLE's TV-news on Sunday evening, the accused
have broken into numerous Finnish corporate systems, have altered
internet web pages, and have read others' e-mail. They also reportedly
left "back doors" and other devices to cover their tracks and to
facilitate further re-entry.

Vantaa police arrested the two men last Tuesday and confiscated
computers during searches carried out at their homes. The pair are
likely to be charged with data break-ins, the illegal use of data
systems, and endangering data security. They were released after
questioning on Thursday.
    
Apparently only around one quarter of the astonishing 140,000 targets
on their list have been Finnish, with the remainder located in Russia
and the United States among other places.
    
Police are examining around 300 servers that have reportedly been
penetrated by the pair. This concerns a three-month period from
towards the end of last year.
    
According to the news report, there could be thousands of victims of
this assault in Finland alone. Among them are telecoms operators, IT
companies, the media, universities, municipalities, the State, and
private individuals. Claims for compensation and damages could become
very large indeed, and some demands have already been presented.



-
ISN is currently hosted by Attrition.org

To unsubscribe email majordomo () attrition org with 'unsubscribe isn' in the BODY
of the mail.