Social Media

Was the Cyber Attack on Google an Inside Job?



The attack, which used a flaw in Microsoft's Internet Explorer and a trojan named Hydraq, is considered sophisticated not only because of the attackers' level of technical expertise, but also because the attackers knew exactly who to attack. Now, Reuters' source claims that the hackers have had help from Google itself.

Google wasn't prepared to comment on this version of the story, but it's possible that some of the employees working in Google China's offices have helped the attackers. Local media reported that some of Google China's employees were denied access to internal Google networks after January 13, some were put on leave and some were transferred to other offices.

Google claims it's still investigating the attacks, but if true, these allegations shed some light on why Google had reacted so strongly. Maybe Google's decision to publicly call China out had been fueled by the sheer scope of the operation, which might have included the Chinese authorities, Google's employees, and unknown hackers all working in unison.

Load Comments

The New Stuff

The Next Big Thing

What's Hot