Following SPE Cyber-assault, other US Businesses get FBI Alert

FBI of United States has cautioned the country's business houses against hackers who're utilizing malware for waging destructive cyber-assaults after they launched a devastating one during November 2014 end-week against Sony Pictures Entertainment, published deccanchronicle.com, December 2, 2014.

Reportedly, the malware employed would prevail over the data-files stacked onto PCs' hard drives while turn the systems inoperable as well as destabilize networks.

So when this happened with SPE, missives such as "Hacked By #GOP" started emerging on the company's PC screens where GOP stands for the hacker cabal Guardians of Peace. There was also one red skull alongside the missive as the warning continued that the computer hackers had "acquired the entire data of the company along with its secrets as also most important secrets" while they'd return the data provided SPE obeyed the cabal.

And though SPE is yet to formally admit the breach, the company is understood to describe the filching of the data-files from its computers as a criminal act while it's addressing the same in close coordination with the agencies of law enforcement.

Moreover, referring to the November 2014 attack, a few experts said that possibly an erstwhile employee waged it to demand a ransom. However, as per speculation in other reports that also comprise the technology news site Re/Code, the assault may've originated from North Korea to retaliate against an upcoming movie, "The Interview" by Sony Pictures in which a fictional attempt is depicted of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of USA assassinating Kim Jong Un, leader of North Korea.

Understandably, Joshua Campbell Spokesman of FBI desisted from remarking about if SPE was an entity which the attack chose to target. Rt.com reported this, December 2, 2014.

Campbell said that FBI regularly notified businesses about different indicators of cyber-threat seen when investigations were conducted. He added that such notification was given so system administrators could be assisted in guarding against stubborn cyber-criminals; and made clear that victimized entities' names were never disclosed.

In the meantime, FBI's warning also advises regarding the way potential threats can be tackled, while urges firms to inform the agency incase they find same kind of malware.

» SPAMfighter News - 12/6/2014