FBI launches probe into Anon's Federal Reserve hack

Published time: February 09, 2013 03:52
Edited time: February 09, 2013 07:52
US Federal Reserve Building in Washington, DC (AFP Photo / Karen Bleier)

The FBI has launched an investigation into a recent Anonymous hack of a Federal Reserve database in retaliation for the US harassment of Aaron Swartz, who recently committed suicide. The hackers reportedly obtained 4,000 personal records in the attack.

Jo David Cummins, president and CEO of Illinois' Community First Bank, said the hack of the US Federal Reserve database, which gave hackers access to his personal information and that of 4,000 other people, "hasn't been much of a hassle," as quoted by Reuters. "The information that was on the contact system was the same thing that was on my business card, so it wasn't like it was anything that could do any harm to me or the bank."

But the FBI and the Fed, which is a common target of criticism from many affiliated with the hacker collective, aren't so sure. "We are in the process of a comprehensive assessment to determine what information might have been obtained in this incident.We remain confident that this incident did not affect critical operations of the Federal Reserve," said Fed spokesman Jim Strader.

Anonymous gained access to the Fed's Emergency Communication System (ECS) in mid-January, circumnavigating password prompts and encryption roadblocks. The Fed had recommended the implementation of a monitoring system to keep tabs on the security of third-party systems, like the ECS, last year.

The attack came as part of Anonymous' OpLastResort, the collective's response to the death of Aaron Swartz, who took his own life in January after a long battle with depression. He was preparing to face criminal charges based on a laundry-list of so-called criminal activity the United States government alleged he engaged in. If convicted, Swartz stood to spend 35 years in prison.

Swartz was under investigation for his connection to a dump of data taken from JSTOR, a peer-reviewed article archive. His supporters argue that though much of JSTOR's content costs money to access, academic research should be free to everyone.

Comments (11)

Green Lantern (unregistered) 10.02.2013 13:27

Until we end this un Fed No reserve foreign bank form our currency system - where we borrow "electronic digits" with interest paid in real wealth - there is no possible way to ever reduce debt.
Our currency has become a way of life "rent food fuel” everything.
Kno wing the massive influence of economic death and destruction this scam is causing-
WHY ISNT THIS A PRIORITY.
You want terror-horror- far in excess of  911- let the country’s economy crash and watch the chaos "that is designed" to take place.
Can you grow a pair Barry and bring that CHANGE we can believe in "yes we can"?
Get rid of the banking criminal CABAL stealing wealth and offering loans borrowing a nations own wealth
did they teach you this @ Harvard?
The real danger is the FED- not some man in a cave- although if we keep slaughtering them - they will made into what you will ask media to label as terrorists- because they will want "revenge" its what happens when a drone blows your kids head off or arm or legs.

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melvin polatnick (unregistered) 10.02.2013 02:47

White Christians are responsible for creating the great Jewish financial wizard; they will trust nobody but a Jew to handle their assets.  Senators and congressmen owe their millions to the Chosen People`s investment managers.  Only a Tard would want anybody but guys with names like Goldberg or Silverman to watch over their money.

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Green Lantern (unregistered) 09.02.2013 13:11

My personal opinion is our country was planned and designed to fall Democracy stole "modified" our REPUBLIC over a span of many years slowly- so that one generation would grow old the newer generation not know the differences. Particularly with a vulgar level of education that is the present conditions for the young.
Slave labor and slave conditions are the corporation’s motives- I think that’s obvious. This was all supported by our 'wise' leaders "Clinton" telling us how beneficial a massive corporation exodus would be beneficial for the American worker.
I don’t mind the physical losses of luxuries - I have food shelter etc- but the emotional conditions are PUTRID.
I think of the suffering of others "doesn’t matter where" on the globe.
MY opinion is that no one man should possess so much wealth he can buy a country or even a president and all his men - and has.
Does America still have a Congress - The MUTE is deafening. Americ a the Corporation is merging- and as it moves out its funneling wealth for the expansion into new territories funded by the “Unfederal No reserves”. The method is not paper or gold – just virtual digits- While people will find themselves burning the paper and plastic cards for heating or lighting cigarettes- the real wealth ‘vanished” in secrecy of course “Must have secrets “ A government of secrets but only a few for national security. As far as preventing a collapse- that time has passed- the government controls it all through the unfederal money making corporation. You name it they control it food medicine travel internet communications water shelter. If the paper were to become obsolete and no one could collect a paycheck- who will be able to get food or gas or pay rent etc. Now add a designed manufactured catastrophe to this scenario far in excess of what we witnessed in NYC and you have a nation that collapses into itself into a state of total chaos. Changes on greatest f magnitudes need to become a reality immediately - but I don’t think we have a congress anymore.

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