An “Unprecedented Crisis”: World Bank Under Cybersiege

Through various sources, including a Fox News report, there have been large-scale and possibly ongoing security breaches at the World Bank.

“The World Bank Group’s computer network — one of the largest repositories of sensitive data about the economies of every nation — has been raided repeatedly by outsiders for more than a year, FOX News has learned. It is still not known how much information was stolen. But sources inside the bank confirm that servers in the institution’s highly-restricted treasury unit were deeply penetrated with spy software last April. Invaders also had full access to the rest of the bank’s network for nearly a month in June and July. In total, at least six major intrusions — two of them using the same group of IP addresses originating from China — have been detected at the World Bank since the summer of 2007, with the most recent breach occurring just last month. In a frantic midnight e-mail to colleagues, the bank’s senior technology manager referred to the situation as an ‘unprecedented crisis.’ In fact, it may be the worst security breach ever at a global financial institution. And it has left bank officials scrambling to try to understand the nature of the year-long cyber-assault, while also trying to keep the news from leaking to the public.”

In these wild economical times it is especially important to keep your own current records of personal financial balances and statements.  Be prepared with the appropriate software that your computer is protected, too.  Although all major financial institutions truly are doing there best to keep information safe guarded, it never hurts to protect yourself on the homefront as well.