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Hacked Swedish Military Servers Used In Attacks On US Banks (securityweek.com)

Posted by msmash on from the just-like-in-movies dept.

Reader wiredmikey writes: Swedish military computers were hacked and used in an attack targeting major U.S. banks in 2013, the armed forces said on Monday. The attack knocked out the web sites of as many as 20 major U.S. banks and financial institutions, sometimes for several days. According to Swedish military spokesman Mikael Abramsson, a server in the Swedish defense system had a vulnerability which was exploited by hackers to carry out the attacks. At the time, the attack, which began in 2012 and continued for months, was one of the biggest ever reported. U.S. officials blamed Iran, suggesting it was in retaliation for political sanctions and several earlier cyberattacks on its own systems.

19 of 40 comments (clear)

  1. FBI by MouseR · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Lets see if adding backdoors will make the world more secure...

    1. Re: FBI by LifesABeach · · Score: 1

      I think the person that paid these two-bit hackers should ask for their money back.

    2. Re:FBI by argStyopa · · Score: 1

      Trying to prevent them certainly hasn't had a marked impact on doing so.

      --
      -Styopa
    3. Re:FBI by inode_buddha · · Score: 1

      As if it wasn't already borked enough....

      bork bork bork

      --
      C|N>K
    4. Re: FBI by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      I think the person that paid these two-bit hackers should ask for their money back.

      Hey, its 2016. 64 bit Hackers.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  2. Ooops. Sorry About That, Iran. by zenlessyank · · Score: 1

    Here are the reactor parts and fuel you asked for.

  3. retaliation by frovingslosh · · Score: 1

    U.S. officials blamed Iran, suggesting it was in retaliation for political sanctions and several earlier cyberattacks on its own systems.

    In other words, we know that Iran must be doing this horrible awful thing, because we've been doing it to them and they must be getting upset about that.

    Not sure what that has to do with anything though. The attacks coming through Sweden doesn't prove or disprove where they originated, so I don't see the point of the above quote.

    --
    I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
    1. Re: retaliation by johnsmithperson123 · · Score: 1

      The usual enemies. 1. US company hacked? It's North Korea! 2. Different US company hacked? It's Iran! 3. Space Aliens in shiny steel suits with some sort of raygun invade New York? North Korea and Iran must have done it!

    2. Re:retaliation by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      A 5 year old can easily follow the logic, but it apparently escapes you...

      Oprah Winfrey?

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    3. Re:retaliation by tomhath · · Score: 1

      Agreed. The statement can be taken either way, but I assume it means Iran is the primary suspect behind the attack.

  4. “no doubt ... that Iran is behind these atta by fredrated · · Score: 1

    Wow, good thing we didn't do the usual: bomb them out of hand.

  5. Don't You Worry Child by Aaden42 · · Score: 1

    My brain read the headline as something something Swedish House Mafia attacks US banks. I guess maybe that's not too far off in this case.

  6. No, it was the Swedish military by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Whenever hacking attacks on US business or government computers from systems in China occur, everyone knows it was the Chinese government behind it all. Whenever hacking attacks on US business or government computers from systems in Russia occur, everyone knows it was either Putin, or the Russian mob directed by Putin himself. Whenever hacking attacks on US business or government computers from systems in Iran occur, everyone knows that it was the Iranian government behind it all. Whenever hacking attacks on US business or government computers from systems in Syria occur, etc., etc...

    In all cases, those governments are so brazen as to not care to cover their tracks by directing their hackers to compromise systems in other countries and launch their attacks from them. But when the attacks are traced back to Swedish military computers, well it's obvious that the Swedes were hacked because Sweden is a friendly, European, cosmopolitan country that wouldn't spy on its fellow Western businesses and governments.

    THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO THINK!!11 Fuckin Swedes are devious, backstabbing, sneaky bastards. The Swedish Volleyball Team? Assassins. You can't trust a goddamn Swede, period. It was them, alright.

  7. Re:Sweden by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 1

    Obligatory:
    Ten thousand Swedes ran through the weeds, chased by one Norwegian.

  8. Re:GIG can save earth now! by U2xhc2hkb3QgU3Vja3M · · Score: 1

    TL;.gig;DR

    P.S.: why is your email charlesbaer@outlook.com? Shouldn't it be charlesbaer@gig15.com? .gig!

  9. Re:Great... by U2xhc2hkb3QgU3Vja3M · · Score: 1

    You better go right now, before they have time to assemble their army with an allen key!

  10. Re:Sweden by F.Ultra · · Score: 1

    He really smelled that bad huh?

  11. Brute Force password attacks in Sweden by Freshly+Exhumed · · Score: 2

    ABBA Abba admin abba root aBBa superuser Opeth ^C

    --
    I deny that I have not avoided attaining the opposite of that which I do not want.
  12. Re: Great... by NCG_Mike · · Score: 1

    Or they carry boats overland to attack Paris again. I heard they might...