Hackers expose defence and intelligence officials in US and UK

[alp227]

Thousands of British email addresses and encrypted passwords, including those of defence, intelligence and police officials as well as politicians and Nato advisers, have been revealed on the internet following a security breach by hackers.

Among the huge database of private information exposed by self-styled "hacktivists" are the details of 221 British military officials and 242 Nato staff. Civil servants working at the heart of the UK government – including several in the Cabinet Office as well as advisers to the Joint Intelligence Organisation, which acts as the prime minister's eyes and ears on sensitive information – have also been exposed.

The hackers, who are believed to be part of the Anonymous group, gained unauthorised access over Christmas to the account information of Stratfor, a consultancy based in Texas that specialises in foreign affairs and security issues. The database had recorded in spreadsheets the user IDs – usually email addresses – and encrypted passwords of about 850,000 individuals who had subscribed to Stratfor's website.

Some 75,000 paying subscribers also had their credit card numbers and addresses exposed, including 462 UK accounts.

full: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jan/08/hackers-expose-defence-intelligence-officials

[Mojorabbit]

1. Nothing on the net is safe

It is one of my big worries with medical records being going to be transfered electronically with the new health care bill.

[boppers]

3. Privacy is dead.

On the upside, so is shame...

When a huge medical records hack reveals who, and how many, of your co-workers have herpes, will you even care?

[Mojorabbit]

4. I think a lot of people might not be hired if it comes to light they have a pre existing condition

My husband is a family physician and people use him almost as a confessor. He knows everyones dirty laundry. Really, no one wants that stuff getting out by accident. I can see a dozen pitfalls in having this info get out. If the people with the highest security clearances and security firms can't keep their info safe it is a hopeless cause.

[2banon]

8. I agree with your concern.. Unfortunately, Medical Records have been on-line for several years

Health Claim documents which include attached files with all personal information and comments made by medical practioners and staff have been on line for a number of years, particularly this past decade. And guess what? This information is available to offshore contract data workers such as the Phillipines etc.

everyday, millions of health claim documents (of patients in this country) are scanned and ftp'd to 3rd and 4th party contractors for billing processing purposes.

I'm no fan of Obama's "Health Care" legislation for a number of reasons, but this particular issue pre-exists his Health Care Legislation passed by Congress last year.

I don't think that legislation deals with this problem, but I could be wrong. I hope I'm wrong.

[Mojorabbit]

9. Your personal records are not yet online unless

your doc's practice has started the new program or you are in the military. It is just getting underway here in Orlando. The billing info yes but not the records themselves as far as I know. There is a big difference in the amount of info contained in the actual records. I agree that what is out there now is handled much too loosely.

[2banon]

11. not clear on what you mean.. in terms of records

the information attached to each health care claim may not include an individual's entire life's medical history, but nearly complete personal information (in terms of identification) in addition to every aspect of the procedure/s for which that claim (or set of claims ) is being billed for, including very intimate, personal discriptions of procedures, with graphic photo images.

Sent to 3rd party contractors.

Presumably this would have been out of compliance with past and current HIPAA rules & regs, but apparently there have been "grey" lines that the industry straddles and have for over decade at least.

[boppers]

2. Ah, Stratfor...

Nothing quite like inept private "intelligence" agencies.

[DCBob]

5. Not sure what this means: "The database had recorded in spreadsheets"

You can store data in a database or you can store it in a spreadsheet.

[The Doctor.]

6. It means:

"All your databases are belong to us."

[goforit]

7. And the US Government wants to shut down the US Post office. LOL!!!

[Bruce Wayne]

10. I miss the good old days when villains robbed banks & wore costumes

This cyber-space war on crime is frustrating. I can't show off my well-oiled muscles while beating up someone on line. But the real problem is that today the bad guys don't dress like bad guys or wear coordinated theme outfits for their criminal activities. It only goes to makes my job all that much harder.