Premiere security firm FireEye says it was breached by nation-state hackers
The FBI, normally mum on such matters, says it is investigating the hack. …
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FireEye, a $3.5 billion company that helps customers respond to some of the world’s most sophisticated cyberattacks, has itself been hacked, most likely by a well-endowed nation-state that made off with “red-team” attack tools used to pierce network defenses.
The revelation, made in a press release posted after the close of stock markets on Tuesday, is a significant event. With a market capitalization of $3.5 billion and a some of the most seasoned employees in the security industry, the company’s defenses are formidable. Despite this, attackers were able to burrow into FireEye’s heavily fortified network using techniques no one in the company had ever seen before.
The hack also raises the specter that a group that was already capable of penetrating a company with FireEye’s security prowess and resources is now in possession of proprietary attack tools, a theft that could make the hackers an even greater threat to organizations all over the world. FireEye said the stolen tools didn’t included any zeroday exploits. FireEye shares fell about 7 percent in extended trading following the disclosure.
So far, the company has seen no evidence that the tools are actively being used in the wild and isn’t sure if the attackers plan to use them. Such tools are used by so-called red teams, which mimic malicious hackers in training exercises that simulate real-world hack attacks. FireEye has released a trove of signatures and other countermeasures that customers can use to detect and repel the attacks in the event that the tools are used. Some researchers who reviewed the countermeasures said they appeared to show
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