Daily US Times: FireEye, a US cybersecurity firm, says it has recently been attacked by a “highly sophisticated threat actor,” believing the hacking was state-sponsored.
FireEye CEO Kevin Mandia said in a blogpost that the company tools used for testing customers’ security had been stolen.
He wrote: “The attacker primarily sought information related to certain government customers.”
The blog did not say who might have carried out the cyber attack. FBI and FireEye are investigating the hack.
The firm’s share price plunged after the company acknowledged of the hack.
In the blog post published on Saturday, Mr Mandia said: “Based on my 25 years in cybersecurity and responding to incidents, I’ve concluded we are witnessing an attack by a nation with top-tier offensive capabilities,” adding that the attack was “different from the tens of thousands of incidents we have responded to throughout the years”.
“The attackers tailored their world-class capabilities specifically to target and attack FireEye,” he added/
The blog said hackers used a novel combination of techniques not witnessed by FireEye or their partners in the past.
California-based FireEye was set up in 2004 and the company specialises in investigating attacks in cyberspace against companies throughout the world.
FireEye being described as one of the fastest-growing firms in the industry.
The BBC reported that Mr Mandia began his career in the US Air Force investigating the first major cyberattack on America’s defence secrets by another state.
In that case, the Russians were responsible and, even though Mr Mandia does not name names, Russia may well be the prime suspect this time.
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