Hacking Rings Successful
Federal officials busted eight people from Russia, Moldova, and Estonia for what authorities are calling “one of the most advanced computer hacking rings in the world.” The ring was able to profitably pinch $9 million in fewer than 12 hours by hacking into payroll debit card information last November.
Hackers are everywhere but the fact that they came from Estonia and Moldova is beguiling. Russia has lots of hackers but Moldova and Estonia aren’t the primary places most people think of when it comes to exceptional hackers.
The capital came up missing from the Royal Bank of Scotland Group in Atlanta in 2008. The band of hackers was able to successfully break the encryption that was defending consumer data on payroll debit cards at the bank. After breaking in, and pinching the customer data they even elevated the account limits on the compromised accounts. Thus getting even more money and messing up numerous accounts.
Next, the circle of hackers had a group of “cashers” set up. There were 44 fake payroll debit cards in which $9 million was taken from over 2,100 ATMS in 280 cities worldwide. Most of which were situated in the U.S. The investigation is ongoing but at least the authorities won indictments against the eight people. This was a monstrous undertaking and it would be fascinating to know the man hours and logistics that went into planning this operation.
Hacking is a huge obstacle and it’s only getting worse. Attacks are launched constantly at private sites as well as government sites. There are hackers that work alone, for businesses, and their governments. Only last summer North Korea started a new armed forces unit with 100 hackers onboard.
This special military unit of hackers is specifically responsible for infiltrating enemy networks and stealing sensitive data. The group is also accountable for creating malicious programs that have the ability to take down IT communications if a war breaks out.
This is no laughing matter and the idea is horrifying. There are continuously reports on the news about cyber attacks against the U.S. government commonly from North Korea, China, or Russia. Just a few months ago hackers got into the U.S. electric grid and government websites. They were guilty of disruptions and viruses that completely shut down the system for two weeks.
IT Security is very important and there is a large demand for professionals. Governments and corporations are constantly looking for specialists with the talents, education, and skill to solve problems. They earn high salaries and are responsible for the defenses of the site which protects the operations of the site as well as records and funds.
Enormous cyber attacks not only affect customers and companies, but also civilians. Each day at every hour and every single minute there are cyber attacks. Everything is achievable with a computer and the internet, which is why these attacks are so dangerous. There is a high demand for IT professionals that specialize in security and fighting off hackers and their nasty programs.
Every person has enemies out there and it’s vital to protect yourself from attacks. A college degree in Information Technology and Security will put you on the quick track to a career that will protect companies and government from outside attacks. This is a billion dollar business and you may be able to prevent the next $9 million dollar hacking job from occurring.
About the author: Diane Johnson writes articles and blogs about current events, accredited online universities and online classes.
Comments
Leave a Reply
