Russian hackers brought to the table their attacks from servers in the US – sometimes they use computers in the same city as the victims, the cyber security company FireEye tells the New York Times.
Why it matters: This allowed the intruders to evade ‘legal ban on the National Security Agency of Domestic Surveillance’, and evade ‘cyber protection deployed by the Department of Homeland Security.’
Fast fast in: The attack, attributed to Russia, began with the focus of the software of IT contractor SolarWinds. By gaining access to it, hackers gave access to information from a variety of high-ranking agencies and companies, including the treasury, trade and homeland security.
- Experts warn of attack Axios’ Ina Fried reports Axios’s serious consequences could have serious consequences, as it has been going on for months, targeting key companies and government agencies.
- The attack lasted at least nine months and affected, according to the Times, about 250 businesses and federal agencies.