World Bank Under Cyber Siege in 'Unprecedented Crisis'

World Bank Hacked

www.foxnews.com

In total, at least six major intrusions — two of them using the same group of IP addresses originating from China — have been detected at the World Bank since the summer of 2007, with the most recent breach occurring just last month.

In a frantic midnight e-mail to colleagues, the bank's senior technology manager referred to the situation as an "unprecedented crisis." In fact, it may be the worst security breach ever at a global financial institution.

(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 10-10-2008 by Frogs]

Apparently this hack has been ongoing for some time. At least during April, June and July according to the article.

This is the first I've heard of this.

This appears to be some VERY sensitive financial data that whoever these hackers are have had total access to for some time.

Could this be playing some hand in the current crisis?


www.foxnews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Just a bit more on this..

Fox Source

The data raids are not a matter of stealing inconsequential bits and bytes. The World Bank's data center is literally a treasure trove of vital financial information from around the globe. As a clearinghouse for financial data from both governments and companies, the bank's computers could provide intruders with both a financial and intelligence gold mine — from inside information on bids and contracts to the minutes of confidential board meetings.

If the bank takes a position in a currency, for example, that currency usually moves in response to the bank's actions. Stocks and bonds can also swing up and down based on World Bank announcements. "If you know beforehand that the bank is going to put an order in for oil pipelines in Chad or healthcare systems in India, you can actually make a good amount of money," says one insider.

So basically, for a number of months someone had access to data that if known could make some very rich and others very poor.

The article states the hackers had full access to everything. What if they not only looked, but actually changed key data?

I'll admit I'm not a wizard in finance. Yet, I'm thinking this hack could be playing a part in the current global crisis. Am I off base?



[edit on 10-10-2008 by Frogs]

Interesting. Sounds like a good spy thriller to me. Perhaps a lead-in to a large-scale confrontation? Maybe a swat raid on a college dorm? A covert set-up operation?
Seems like China's been getting all kinds of accolades for their technologically criminal prowess.
Maybe we will see a new kind of and term for warfare for these seemingly subversive actions.
Anyone who knows what an IP address is should question the real source of the attack as IP addresses can be "spoofed", hidden behind, masked etc.

Full wars have been raged for far less then this.

My take is that this is either non-fact OR the fact (the hacking) was intended by far more important people then a hacker wiz.


Peace

So is China shorting our markets? On purpose?

Originally posted by GrndLkNatv
So is China shorting our markets? On purpose?

Well as 4N6310 indicated the address could be spoofed. Which would mean the attack really didn't come form China. If that is true the downside is we do not know where the attacks came from.

However, the scope of hack does likely imply some skilled hackers. As we've read about here on ATS and elsewhere - China certainly has those and they don't seem shy about their attacks.

Aside from "Who?" the other big question now is "What?". As in, "What did they do with the info gained and what did they alter?"

I find it hard to think they had access to basically all of the Word Bank's systems for months and simply did nothing except look.

Flag from me good find,

however no star as Fox news!

So this could be important or just the CIA who knows?

It does seem that China is though taking a lot of interest in Cyber Spying etc, and with the fragility of current conditions, all it would take is someone changing the numbers on the Dow Ticker down by an extra 1000-2000 drop, even if only for 10-15 minutes to probably crash the entire system with the panic afterwards.

Hopefully the Chinese know they need the global economy intact in some form to continue themselves and therefore will not use any of these options open to them in Cyber space.

Kind Regards,

Elf

Originally posted by MischeviousElf
Flag from me good find,

however no star as Fox news!

Hey - I tried to find another source. Its not my fault Fox was the only that had it at the moment.

EDIT POST

Removed I Was very wrong!

maybe change the headline frog to the source?

World Bank Under Cyber Siege in 'Unprecedented Crisis'

As op ed Source.

New source;

Gtron Solutions has just been notified that the World Bank Group network (one of largest data repositories of sensitive data) has been compromised by multiple people.

Sources say the servers inside the institution's treasury contained "spy software." It seems they had access to the banks data for close to a 30 day span between the months of June and July of 2008.

GTron Solutions

My above post, sorry,

S+F

Good find indeed, this could answer lot's, and digging deeper, thank you.

Kind Regards and Apoogies ,

Elf

[edit on 10-10-2008 by MischeviousElf]

Big Bump

This is not a one liner.

I removed my above post completely, and think this is very interesting, and worrying at this time!

Elf.

Gee I wonder what they are talking about at the G7 meeting?




Get ready for the one world currency.

What the hell is the world bank doing with even ONE COMPUTER ONLINE.
They should have a completely SEALED net.

DUMB network planers and a lousy topography. Goes to show that these people are no less stupid than the pawns they own.

I'm so angry right now my teeth are cracking.

First. They are dumb and they deserve it if they let sensible data online.

Second. Good. The World Bank is just run by criminals.

Third. I hope those hackers are for the good of humanity. Change data so it helps the poor people.

Fourth. There's no real proof that the attack came from China or that there were even an attack.

So , World Bank, STFU.

While China probably has hackers working for them, this was most likely not done by the Chinese.

If the hackers that did this are smart enough to break through the World Banks firewalls and security measures, and in to their system, they surely must be smart enough to hack a few servers around the world to use as proxies through which they do the actual hacking. Otherwise it would just be too easy to trace.

For all we know, this could've been done from an internet cafe in Kansas.

reply to post by Frogs


The one thought that immediately jumps to mind is 'put' options

Could there be any way to detect any unusual activity on these options during the period when the banking crisis news started appearing a few weeks ago?

I made a topic a couple of weeks ago but it must of broke the T&C about now on the ground and on the net would be the perfect time to rob a bank if you where serious and had the skills.

In the midst of the confusion worldwide everything in the financial market is ripe for the picking, Plenty of people losing there jobs in the banks with plenty of insider knowledge that can be utilised by the robbers, People in banks currently unsure about there job security also easy to manipulate and turn into stooges.

With trillions and billions being wiped off daily and people drawing there cash out of banks to hide under the mattress the admin and accounting must be in chaos at the moment. There must be alot of windows of opportunity where there are no actual fixed figures of cash lying about.

Nothing stopping the best hackers in the world from taking advantage either, especially in countries with no fixed extradition treaties. Seeing the real honey pot these days is online.

If you had the skills no point risking your life in a physical robbery for chump change compared to the billions you could swipe online.

If you where a crazy or anarchist you could just dump all or half of the money stolen either online or in the real world into the stocks and laugh as it dissapears, even if they catch you eventually you wouldn't have the money.

Or buy into every country in the worlds goverment bonds with the money LOL

It's not as easy as i'm painting out to be no sirs but if you had the skills or manpower and maybe if you needed it inside help it can be pulled off it's certainely not impossible.



I'm not advocating anyone robbing a bank by the way just saying it could be done please don't delete my comment.

[edit on 11-10-2008 by SR]

reply to post by GrndLkNatv


tyree Vrlore Minuss

I wonder if China had their data center hack World Bank to keep an inside eye on the all seeing eye. You know, keep a look out on old Lord Rothschild and his plans to fluctuate the stock market through unseen forces that have always been there.

I recall reading an article by I think it was Benjamin Fulford. In the article he talks about how the Chinese have had it with Illuminati infultration and threatened to take deeper drastic measures should they try a take over of the Chinese financial system.

And I am sure they are not happy with the arms deals that have been going on between the US and Taiwan. So there are a number of reasons to look at the World Bank, since they like to fund both sides in every war. It would give China a heads up on where things are going and how things are really crashing.

Originally posted by Atlantican
What the hell is the world bank doing with even ONE COMPUTER ONLINE.
They should have a completely SEALED net.

DUMB network planers and a lousy topography. Goes to show that these people are no less stupid than the pawns they own.

I'm so angry right now my teeth are cracking.

Excellant point

But consider this, what if this story is entirely made up ?

We know these guys arent this retarded, to put thier most sensative info Online so YOU and I and the chinese can hack them all nite? LOL
YA Right, I entertain conspiracys alot but i cannot even begin to fathom how they would possibly be That Stupid.

So yes im highly skeptical of the article based purely on a philisophical point. Theres no way these guys are this dumb.

So, since the possibility of the report being entirely false in its rammifications; one is left to wonder what the motive behind it was.

Is it an attack on China's "techno-piracy" "default position" intodays eworld? Hmm like a corporate flavor "bash the chinese hackers" political statement. Maybe to make China crackdown on its net users for going to far.

Im not sure what to make of it.

What we do know is

1) the World Bank admitted it
2) the Corporate Media reported it

3) their version of the story doesnt add up

at this point, your guess is as good as mine
lol

edit 2 add:

maybe they wanna blame the hackers for the world economic "meltdown"

how Convienant

you could really kill alot of birds with one stone you know, a stone like that

u can blame free internet, some nonexistant chinese hacker, then safely escape blame for having gone and wreaked havok on the files yourself

yes... its too perfect
and very convienant

[edit on 11-10-2008 by muzzleflash]