[ISN] Computer hacker exposes MI5 security flaw

From: InfoSec News <alerts_at_private>
Date: Mon, 10 Aug 2009 02:44:15 -0500 (CDT)
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article6788694.ece

By Kevin Dowling
The Sunday Times
August 9, 2009 

A COMPUTER hacker who breached MI5’s official website to reveal how 
criminals could spy on its users has criticised the agency’s security 
practices.

The UK-based hacker, who calls himself Neo, was able to plant computer 
code on the site, demonstrating how terrorists or a hostile foreign 
government could infiltrate visitors’ computers and harvest personal 
information.

“I was really surprised,” said Neo, a member of Team Elite, an 
international group of hackers which has exposed security flaws in 
companies and organisations. “I thought they hire people who know their 
job. MI5’s website should not be vulnerable to such bugs in the first 
place.”

The Home Office admitted that a problem with the MI5 website had 
occurred on July 21 and part of it was disabled for two days to resolve 
the fault.

However, there is no suggestion that details of any MI5 agents or any 
other sensitive information had been compromised.

[...]


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Received on Mon Aug 10 2009 - 00:44:15 PDT

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