Hackers expose defence and intelligence officials in US and UK

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jan/08/hackers-expose-defence-intelligence-officials

By Ed Pilkington in New York and Richard Norton-Taylor
guardian.co.uk
8 January 2012

Thousands of British email addresses and encrypted passwords, including 
those of defence, intelligence and police officials as well as 
politicians and Nato advisers, have been revealed on the internet 
following a security breach by hackers.

Among the huge database of private information exposed by self-styled 
"hacktivists" are the details of 221 British military officials and 242 
Nato staff. Civil servants working at the heart of the UK government – 
including several in the Cabinet Office as well as advisers to the Joint 
Intelligence Organisation, which acts as the prime minister's eyes and 
ears on sensitive information – have also been exposed.

The hackers, who are believed to be part of the Anonymous group, gained 
unauthorised access over Christmas to the account information of 
Stratfor, a consultancy based in Texas that specialises in foreign 
affairs and security issues. The database had recorded in spreadsheets 
the user IDs – usually email addresses – and encrypted passwords of 
about 850,000 individuals who had subscribed to Stratfor's website.

Some 75,000 paying subscribers also had their credit card numbers and 
addresses exposed, including 462 UK accounts.

[...]

_____________________________________________________
Did a friend send you this article? Make it your
New Year's Resolution to subscribe to InfoSec News!
http://www.infosecnews.org/mailman/listinfo/isn