Iranians Hacked Multiple Banks; Millions Lost
[Editor] And this is the nation we are trusting to abide by the nuclear treaty?
Seven hackers allegedly tied to the Iranian government have been charged with cyber-attacks on a small dam outside New York City and dozens of banks.
Unsealing the indictment in Washington DC, the Justice Department said all seven accused were employed by Iranian computer companies that have worked for the Iranian government.
The attacks on the American financial sector disabled bank websites and caused tens of millions of dollars in losses, say the charges.
The cyber-raids occurred between December 2011 and May 2013, escalating until they recurred on an almost weekly basis.
Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Citibank, HSBC and the New York Stock Exchange were among the targets, said US authorities.
“These attacks were relentless, they were systematic, and they were widespread,” Attorney General Loretta Lynch told reporters on Thursday.
One of the seven, Hamid Firoozi, is accused of hacking the control system of the Bowman Avenue Dam, about 20 miles (32km) north of New York City.
Luckily for operators of the 20ft high flood-control structure, its sluice gate had been disconnected from the computer system for maintenance at the time, so it could not be manipulated by the hacker.
The individuals named in the indictment are not in American custody….
