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

From: InfoSec News (isnat_private)
Date: Wed Feb 27 2002 - 00:38:08 PST

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    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.
    
    
    
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