US Government Hit by Massive Cyber-Attack
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SUBSCRIPTION SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2015 SHAABAN 19, 1436 AH No: 16543 Patrol teams More than 150 Barca, Juve deployed to killed in Ghana clash for protect Kuwait petrol station the treble mosques5 blast, floods7 in47 Berlin US government hit by massive cyber-attack Min 31º 150 Fils NSA warns of digital ‘armageddon’; Chinese hackers’ suspected Max 46º WASHINGTON: The US government yesterday admitted that hackers accessed the personal data of at least four million current and former federal employees, in a vast cyber-attack suspected to have originated in China. “As a result of the incident,” uncovered in April, the Office of Personnel Management said it “will send notifications to approximately four million individuals.” It added that additional exposures “may come to light.” The government’s personnel department handles hundreds of thou- sands of sensitive security clearances and background investigations on prospective employees each year. It was not immediately clear whether the hack affected President Barack Obama, other senior government officials or the intelligence community. The Washington Post and other US media cited government officials as saying that Chinese hackers were behind the breach. But the Chinese embassy in Washington countered that such attacks would not be allowed under Chinese law. “Jumping to conclusions and mak- ing hypothetical accusations is not responsible and counterproductive,” embassy spokesman Zhu Haiquan said. “Chinese laws prohibit cyber crimes of all forms. China has made great efforts to combat cyber attacks in accor- dance with Chinese laws and regulations,” he added. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are said to be leading the investigation. The FBI in a statement said it “will continue to investigate and hold account- able those who pose a threat in cyberspace.” Officials refused to assign attribution or motive, but pointed affected par- ties to measures that could prevent fraud and identify theft. The govern- ment will, through a third party, offer $1 million in identity theft protection services at no cost. “Protecting our federal employee data from malicious cyber incidents is of the highest priority,” Office of Personnel Management director Katherine Archuleta said. Her agency said the intrusion may have MARYLAND: Photo shows the National Security Agency (NSA) in Fort Meade, Maryland. — AFP begun late last year and “predated the adoption of the tougher security con- trols,” adding that government staff will be notified from June 8 if they are affected. Series of breaches OPEC keeps taps open The new measures include restricting remote access, screening business connections and deploying anti-malware software. It is just the latest in a series of major breaches that have shown the vulnerability of the federal despite low oil price government. Last year Russian hackers are believed to have accessed unclassified computer systems at the White House and State Department. VIENNA: OPEC has again defied calls to cut output strategy last November when it opted to leave produc- Hackers stole information on 100,000 taxpayers from the online computers despite the low oil price, extending its new strategy to tion unchanged-despite a dramatic oil price collapse of the US Internal Revenue Service. Obama has ranked China and Russia’s preserve market share and fend off cheaper competi- that slashed revenues for its members. “There is a com- cyber-attack capabilities as “very good,” Iran’s as “good,” and North Korea’s tion from the US shale energy boom. The decision to mitment from all the ministers that they will adhere” to as not “particularly good.” China operates a vast security and surveillance maintain output levels, made at a key production meet- the target, OPEC Secretary-General Abdullah El-Badri apparatus, with the ruling Communist Party maintaining a resolute grip on ing in Vienna, leaves Organization of the Petroleum said yesterday. “As a matter of fact for the last four years power. Exporting Countries’ (OPEC) official collective target at we have been enjoying 100 plus dollars,” he told In a recent white paper, Beijing said it would “expedite the development 30 million barrels per day-where it has stood for more reporters, noting that OPEC was now facing a “new real- of a cyber-force” within the People’s Liberation Army. The United States has than three and a half years. “The ceiling is the same. You ity” of lower price levels. “At a certain stage we needed voiced an increasingly strident tone about cyber-attacks in recent months. will be surprised how amicable the meeting was,” Saudi to lose our market share for less efficient producers,” Admiral Michael Rogers, who heads the National Security Agency and US Arabia’s Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi told reporters after the added El-Badri. Cyber Command, has said that future attacks could prompt a response with gathering of the 12-nation oil producers’ cartel that “As we see now, the demand is getting stronger so conventional weapons. In February, US Director of National Intelligence pumps one third of the world’s crude. we respond to the demand.” OPEC-which comprises James Clapper said a steady stream of low-level cyber-attacks posed the The global oil market, plagued with demand worries, nations from Africa, Latin America and the Middle East- most likely danger to the United States, rather than a potential digital oversupply and booming US shale output, collapsed 60 is actually pumping 31.2 million bpd, due to increased “armageddon.” percent between June 2014 - when West Texas supplies from Saudi Arabia and Iraq, according to He said foreign “actors” are conducting reconnaissance and gaining digi- Intermediate (WTI) crude stood at about $106 per bar- International Energy Agency data. In response to yes- tal access to US infrastructure systems, so they can launch a cyber-attack if rel-and late January, when it hit a six-year low under terday’s decision, oil prices rebounded at first, but then necessary in the future. There is growing concern that criminals, terror $45. They have since recovered, but only to around $60, fell back into negative territory. Brent oil for delivery in groups or spy agencies could target critical infrastructure such as power putting the budgets of many oil-producing nations July dipped 30 cents to $61.73 per barrel in early after- grids or air traffic control systems. The Government Accountability Office under pressure while giving the battered global econo- noon London deals, while New York’s WTI for the same warned in April of growing cyber threats against America and said the dan- my a much-needed fillip. month shed 47 cents to $57.53. “It was a very good deci- ger was “heightened by weaknesses in the federal government’s approach But OPEC, which has traditionally defended price lev- sion,” said Kuwait’s Oil Minister Ali Al-Omair, upon leav- to protecting federal systems and information.” The National Security els by cutting output if needed, dramatically switched ing the meeting. — AFP Agency has reportedly been given wider powers to spy on Internet traffic in search of computer hacking by foreign governments or others. —AFP LOCAL SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2015 Egyptian cable thieves busted cables belonged to the Ministry of Electricity and Water and had obtained them from a Pakistani in Ahmadi. Apartment fire A fire broke out in a second floor flat in Salmiya, said security sources. Firemen from Salmiya and Hawally rushed to the scene where they evacuated the whole building and controlled the fire. No injuries were reported. Massive fire in Rai factory A huge fire recently broke in a factory located over a 3,000 square meter area in Rai that contained paints, lumber, metal, and plastic, said security sources. Firemen from Shuwaikh industrial area, Ardiya, Shuhada, Kuwait City, Subhan, Farwaniya, Salmiya, Sulaibikhat, and other backup units rushed to By Hanan Al-Saadoun the scene and surrounded the burning area to prevent the flames from spreading to adja- KUWAIT: Two Egyptians were recently arrest- cent facilities. A fire officer sustained an eye Sulaibikhat, said security sources adding the Citizen killed in accident ed for stealing 50.25 tons of stolen electric injury and had to be evacuated to Al-Bahar incident happened over some family dis- A citizen died in a car accident in cables in Hawally, said security sources. After hospital for treatment while five other fight- agreements. The suspect was later found to Mishref, said security sources noting that being tipped of the suspects’ illegal activity, ers were treated on site from dehydration and have a criminal record in drug-related cases. on arriving to the scene, Mishref firefight- an undercover agent was tasked to make a thermal stress. ers found the driver already dead, his body deal and pretended to buy some cables from Two children die jammed in the wreckage. Meanwhile, an them. Storming the suspects’ store in Hawally, Citizen shoots at brothers A five-year-old Indian died when she fell Egyptian was instantly killed when his vehi- detectives found 127 sacks loaded with cut A citizen was arrested for shooting at his from her parents’ apartment in Jleeb. Similarly, cle collided into a truck along King Fahd cables, worth around KD110,000. After ques- brothers without injuring any of them and a Chinese boy died instantly when he fell from expressway while the Indian truck driver tioning, one of the suspects admitted that the setting fire to the family’s diwaniya in his parents’ residence in Mina Abdullah. was injured. Mother accuses daughter of stealing her car, KD 900 KUWAIT: A citizen recently accused her arrival at Kuwait International Airport for daughter of stealing her vehicle with KD 900 attempting to smuggle some marijuana. in it, said security sources. Stepping out of Case papers indicated that airport rangers her house in Haten, the mother found her noticed that the two suspects, arriving vehicle missing, so she rushed to the police from Bangladesh, seemed nervous and on and reported that her daughter stole her car searching their luggage, they found the and money.