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'We hacked the FBI:' Hackers say they have data on all FBI employees

817 points · 614 comments · spenvo

  1. htrp · · focus · HN ↗
    TLDR. A Peoplesoft (Oracle HR) instance was compromised which allowed movement into GovCloud (AWS)
    1. ok123456 · · focus · HN ↗
      PeopleSoft 0-day.

      Just goes to show that the wall of IT bureaucracy does nothing. I'm sure they had an ATO, a several-hundred-page SBOM, compliance audits, etc.

      1. lenerdenator · · focus · HN ↗
        It doesn't do nothing. It does make things somewhat harder to attack.

        There was a time, 25-ish years ago, where exploits were thrown about like candy at a parade. The procedures you mention, along with other things, have made zero-days like these more valuable than gold.

        1. ok123456 · · focus · HN ↗
          > It doesn't do nothing.

          Yeah, it's called regulatory capture.

          Treating security as an accounting exercise has never stopped a 0-day. Better software tools and practices have.

      2. 0xbadcafebee · · focus · HN ↗
        The attackers exfil'd 3TB of data, which obviously included PII, from AWS servers. They should've had DLP, active monitoring, countermeasures, using a security vendor (you can set this up for AWS services using CloudTrail, CloudWatch Logs, etc). You're supposed to have that for sensitive government or military work, and it should have (at least) caught that much traffic going to a rando external IP, blocked and flagged.

        If they did have it set up, then somebody wasn't doing their job. If they didn't have it set up, they didn't comply (which is also not doing their job). I see this all the time. The security analysts send tickets to people when they see major issues and nobody is held accountable for inaction. Management asleep at the wheel (which is also their cover, can't be blamed for what you made sure you never knew about).

      3. Tangurena2 · · focus · HN ↗
        The FBI had some very smart people. The current regime/administration's number 1 priority is to eliminate anyone competent in order to replace them with loyalists. Stuff is only going to get worse.
        1. ok123456 · · focus · HN ↗
          > The FBI had some very smart people.

          They trusted Oracle. I'm not sure I believe you.

          1. Tangurena2 · · focus · HN ↗
            That's almost always a decision made by mismanagers.
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