The IMF has recently shocked numerous investors around the world. A couple of months ago the IMF’s server was hacked. The hackers gained access to the Fund’s top-secret information. If the IMF has kept it secret for a couple of months then they have something to conceal from investors, the world media conclude. What interesting facts did the hackers learn after hacking the server?
What is known about the cyber attack?
It happened long before the strange arrest of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the IMF’s former chief. It means that somebody waged a campaign against the world’s most influential financial institution:
1. According to David Hawley, spokesman for the IMF, the cyber attack proved successful for the hackers.
2. Apparently the hackers caused serious damage to the IMF because the World Bank decided to disconnect from the IMF’s local network.
3. According to the Bloomberg agency’s anonymous source, the hackers stole e-mails and numerous documents. It means that somebody gained access to the business correspondence of the world’s major financiers. The same source said that the attack was state-sponsored.
4. The hackers stole the database containing some top-secret info, supposedly about the real financial situation in most countries of the world, including the so-called “sick economies” of the EU (Greece, Portugal , Spain and Ireland). If such info is made public it will blow up the market.
5. Moreover, the IMF’s computers contain the info about the leaders of numerous countries (including their contacts).
6. The conclusions made by the IMF officials. On June 12th David Hawley announced about the complete restoration of the IMF’s server and local network. Until that day there was no official info on the cyber attack at all (people didn’t even know about it). The post factum announcement probably means that the IMF experts tried to solve the problem on their own. However, the official announcement itself probably means that they eventually failed.
What do the IMF officials conceal?
· First of all, the exact time of the cyber attack is unclear.
· They also conceal how important the stolen info is.
· And finally, there are no suspects.
What is the international reaction to the news?
By now the only and fairly tough reaction to the incident has been shown by Washington. Reuters reported that the FBI would investigate the crime. According to the US-Canadian Association of Traders and Investors under , now the Americans have a great chance: they well may be the first to learn the truth everyone wants to know. Or they can conceal the truth from everyone.
1. Washington’s intensions. Right before the official announcement about the cyber attack on the IMF’s server the US authorities said they intended to oppose this threat of the 21st century.
2. Developing anti-cybercrime strategies. The US media report that on May 16th the White House unveiled an international strategy statement on cyber-security which said the United States "will respond to hostile acts in cyberspace as we would to any other threat to our country." "We reserve the right to use all necessary means -- diplomatic, informational, military, and economic -- as appropriate and consistent with applicable international law, in order to defend our nation, our allies, our partners and our interests," the strategy statement said.
What are the reasons for such a tough reaction to cybercrime?
According to the Pentagon, the intelligence and secret services of more than 100 countries have tried to hack the USA’s state-owned computer systems and networks so far, which is also a threat to the country’s national security:
· A cyber attack on the US Department of Defense. In May 2011 hackers attacked Lockheed Martin, an American global aerospace, defense, security and advanced technology company working with the USDD.
· A cyber attack on PlayStation Network. In late April hackers attacked PlayStation Network. Then they hacked the website of Sony Corp. stealing the info about 100 million users.
Some experts say that the latest crimes are made by the international team of hackers called Anonymous. This is a real cyber community inspired by Julian Assange and his Wikileaks website and numbering from 7 to 15 thousand members worldwide. The Anonymous members claim they strive to make any information open to the public and oppose the secrecy and censorship. They started with punishing those individuals and organizations that disturbed Wikileaks. For example, they initiated cyber attacks on PayPal, Postfinance, Swiss Post Office Bank, Visa and MasterCard just because they had blocked payments concerning Wikileaks.
· The arrests of some Spanish hackers. The Spanish police have recently managed to arrest several hackers, which may belong to the Anonymous community. They are accused of attacking the servers of BBVA and Bankia (Spanish banks), Enel (an Italian energy company) and a range of state-owned websites. The Anonymous “freedom fighters” promised to revenge on their fellows.
How can the stolen “info bomb” affect the world?
According to the experts of , there are 2 possible scenarios:
1. Hidden foreign-policy speculation. If the crime is really state-sponsored, the dangerous situation will become the subject of some hidden foreign-policy speculation behind closed doors. Investors shouldn’t worry that the information can somehow influence the forthcoming election of the IMF’s new chief as in this case the data aren’t stolen in order to make them public.
2. A blow to the global economic system. If the data are stolen by some enthusiasts like Anonymous, them they will probably take the chance to shake the established global economic system. In this case investors may face a lot of unpleasant surprises. However, this scenario is far less probable. The independent hackers have no reason to withhold the “info bomb” for several months, knowing that some secret services are chasing them.
Market Leader and offer you to participate in a survey. Please, visit the Academy’s forum and answer the question below:
Will the stolen info be made public?
· Yes, it will. That was the purpose.
· It is unlikely to happen because the info is valuable as long as it is kept secret
· No, it never will. This just a part of the plan aimed at changing the IMF leadership.
