Hackers Slip Through Security Software To Hack Lubbock City System

District, state and national agencies keep on probing the November 9, 2006 thievery of private information from Lubbock's online civic job application scheme. The violation emerged belatedly in October.

Bypassing the security system, a cyber-terrorist broke into Lubbock's site, meddling with the online file, together with the online job application record. Presently, officials reveal that almost 6000 social insurance and driving license records could have fallen into wrong hands.
Currently, it seems that the only data struck was the online job application information, of nearly 5,800 persons.

"All the firewalls and operating systems functioned in the approved manner." declares the assistant city manager of Lubbock, Mark Yearwood. "What they were able to attack was susceptible in the development program of application."

The data was robbed in later part of September, but municipal officials didn't realize it till October end, when one more computer cyber-terrorist attacked the city's official site. The man who attacked the website is the one who warned the officials to the graver violation.

Police officials are probing the security violation, and the city is conveying letters to everybody who applied over the net since February 2006 to warn and guide them to check their credit statements for identity theft.

"We think that there is a chance that someone can utilize this data in far-flung areas," Yearwood held. "Since the database was exposed, we don't want to endanger the persons who have applied over the net, that's why we are getting in touch with them."

The online application website has been closed while the security system is being upgraded. The metropolis is, in fact, trying to install the latest security system to avert any such event. Therefore, it isn't accepting any more job applications over the net. It is suggested the clients to monitor all their Internet-based tasks like buying or completing anymore online job applications.

Lt. Scott Hudgens of Lubbock police stated that the computer researcher of Texas Department of Public Safety and Secret Service is working in tandem with the state and national officials to locate the cyber-terrorist responsible for the graver violation but the probe is still in its infantile phase.

Related article: Hackers Redirect Windows Live Search to Malicious Sites

» SPAMfighter News - 11/15/2006