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Cyberattacks on US banks

August 28, 2014

The FBI is investigating a hacking attack on JPMorgan Chase and at least one other bank, according to reports citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. The attack led to the loss of sensitive data, media report.

https://p.dw.com/p/1D2rR
JPMorgan Chase in New York
Image: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/GettyImages

Bloomberg.com reported that the FBI had begun investigating an incident in which Russian hackers attacked the US financial system earlier this month in possible retaliation against sanctions aimed at officials and businesses in Moscow over the country's involvement in Ukraine's conflict. On Wednesday, Bloomberg cited security experts in reporting that the attack appeared "far beyond the capability of ordinary criminal hackers."

"Companies of our size unfortunately experience cyberattacks nearly every day," Trish Wexler, the spokeswoman for JPMorgan - the largest US bank by assets - said in a statement released Wednesday, though she did not explicitly confirm the reports. "We have multiple layers of defense to counteract any threats and constantly monitor fraud levels."

The New York Times also cited people familiar with the matter in reporting that attacks that siphoned off huge amounts of data, including information about checking and savings accounts, had hit the embattled JPMorgan and at least four other firms in August. The Wall Street Journal also cited unnamed sources in its less-detailed report, calling the attacks a "significant breach of corporate computer security."

In recent years, cyberattacks have hit such US giants as Ebay and Facebook.

Officials from the FBI said they were investigating the reports but would not confirm details for now.

mkg/jm (AFP, AP)