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The IMF's headquarters in Washington DC. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana/PA

IMF computer systems attacked but extent of damage not known

Attack described as a “very major breach” occurred sometime in the last several months, but the IMF hasn’t revealed the scope of the attack.

THE IMF, already reeling from last month’s arrest of its former leader, is investigating an attack on its computer system.

IMF spokesman David Hawley said the organisation is fully functional. He declined to provide further details on what he termed an “IT incident,” including its scope or nature and whether any sensitive data were taken. The IMF has confidential information on countries in financial trouble – including Ireland.

The New York Times cited unnamed IMF officials as saying the attack was sophisticated and serious.

The IMF told staffers about it on Wednesday but hasn’t made a public announcement.

The organisation is already facing a public-relations headache after the arrest of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who resigned as its chief last month after being accused of sexually assaulting a maid in a New York hotel.

French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, Mexican central bank chief Agustin Carstens and others are vying for the top job. Stanley Fischer, Israel’s central bank chief, emerged as a candidate Saturday.

It’s not clear if hackers were targeting the IMF. Hackers sometimes try to distribute malicious software code widely and see which organisations it can infect. But they can also choose targets. Using a technique called “spear phishing,” for instance, they can trick employees of a specific organisation into clicking a link that then gives hackers access to its computer systems.

Dave Jevans, chairman of computer security firm IronKey Inc., said he’s concerned by an uptick in “hacktivism,” where groups target organisations for political purposes.

It’s possible the IMF was the victim of such hacktivism. However, one official cited by the Times said the attack occurred over the last several months, before the troubles involving Strauss-Kahn.

Concerns about the IMF attack were great enough that the World Bank cut a computer link that allows the two organisations to share non-sensitive information, according to a bank official. The move was taken out of “an abundance of caution,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the security issues around the incident.

The IMF attack follows a string of major data breaches. In recent months, hackers have penetrated 100 million Sony PlayStation accounts, the networks of Lockheed Martin and the customer email databases of a company that does marketing for Best Buy and Target stores. Google has accused Chinese hackers of targeting the Gmail accounts of U.S. government officials.

About 200,000 Citibank credit card customers in North America had their names, account numbers and email addresses stolen.

- AP

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    Mute JD
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    Feb 25th 2014, 1:03 PM

    Whatever about LeBeouf at least Baldwin is a good actor. Hunt for red October and glengarry glen Ross spring to mind.

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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Feb 25th 2014, 7:22 PM

    True…LaBeouf is an arrogant tool and an absolute crap actor. Would be missed like a case of the runs.

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    Mute mister
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    Feb 25th 2014, 1:10 PM

    He’ll be back. I like Alec Baldwin as an actor but suspect he’s like any other celebrity who finds the spotlight addictive.

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    Mute Mark Carroll
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    Feb 25th 2014, 1:46 PM

    I don’t care I still love Alec Baldwin as an actor!!

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    Mute SeamusO'Suilleabhain
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    Feb 25th 2014, 1:37 PM

    Interesting article, I don’t get the James Franco references though.

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    Mute Banking Bad
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    Feb 25th 2014, 2:31 PM

    One of Lisa’s articles has finally made it more than a few comments and views without massive criticism.

    Bravo Lisa ;’)

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    Mute Jane Travers
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    Feb 25th 2014, 4:27 PM

    It didn’t, actually. There was a critical comment almost immediately, which I and another commenter rebutted, but when I went into the article to reply again the comment had been removed. Almost instantly.

    I have to say, I thought that was very strange, especially as my complimentary comment was removed as well.

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    Mute Charles J. Ahern
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    Feb 25th 2014, 11:37 PM

    Yeah, why was this removed Jane?

    #RightToCensor

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    Mute Jane Travers
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    Feb 26th 2014, 12:34 AM

    No idea, Charles. Would love an explanation from the Journal tbh.

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    Mute hjGfIgAq
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    Feb 26th 2014, 9:54 AM

    Hi Jane, happy to oblige – any replies to a comment which is removed are deleted along with the original. So if your comment was in response to something which broke the comments policy, that’s why it’s no longer there.

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    Mute Jane Travers
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    Feb 26th 2014, 10:03 AM

    I understand why my reply was removed Jennifer, I just don’t understand why the original comment was removed. Yes, it was critical of the article, but surely criticism is free speech?

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    Mute hjGfIgAq
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    Feb 26th 2014, 10:13 AM

    Ah, I see! If a comment makes personal remarks about the author of a story then it’s taken down. Comments criticising the content or argument of an article are obviously welcomed, but there’s a distinction between that and ad-hominem insults. “Play the ball, not the player” and all that.

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    Mute Jane Travers
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    Feb 26th 2014, 10:21 AM

    Ah, now I see! Thanks for the clarification, Jennifer.

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    Mute hjGfIgAq
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    Feb 26th 2014, 10:38 AM

    No problem :)

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    Mute David Thomas
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    Feb 25th 2014, 1:44 PM

    I’m REALLY gonna miss him!

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    Mute Hakuin Murphy
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    Feb 25th 2014, 2:15 PM

    Years from now, Alec sitting in a bar:
    “Oh yeah, I used to be famous. It’s a tough racket…” *swigs drink*

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    Mute derrickmccormack
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    Feb 25th 2014, 3:16 PM

    what was the point of this article

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    Mute Some Feen
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    Feb 25th 2014, 5:54 PM

    Arec Bawrrin

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    Mute Nigel Briganti
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    Feb 25th 2014, 2:14 PM

    Who cares.

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    Feb 25th 2014, 4:18 PM

    I’m strongly considering doing the same.

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    Mute Catherine Mill
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    Feb 25th 2014, 6:22 PM

    No mention of Alec and his domestic violence? or does that not matter?

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