
For those who have visited the popular website Forbes.com, experts are now warning that they may have been targeted by hackers acting on behalf of China.
The cyber criminals have installed malware on Forbes’ ‘Though of the Day’ web page, which is the first that a visitor sees.
iSIGHT Partners, a security firm based in the US, said that the spy group utilised a combination of a flaw in Internet Explorer and another flaw in Adobe Flash to target the site users.
Stephen Ward, chief marketing director from iSIGHT, wrote in a blog that the firm found the campaign late last year, and that it was not only targeting Forbes, but also a number of smaller sites around the world.
Ward said that his organisation does not see the hack as one that will affect millions, but added that actual numbers are hard to assess.
He commented:
“Based on the use of the Forbes.com website – ranked as the 61st most popular in the US and 168th most popular in the world by the Alexa ranking service – it is possible the reach of this campaign could be vast.”
He said that investors, industry leaders and businesses, along with other Fortune 500 firms and individuals, are included in those who may have been targeted.
If the attack was solely aiming for Forbes, SMEs may feel that they are immune to such threats. However, the fact that lesser-known companies have also been targeted should serve as a warning. Ensuring that cyber security jobs are made available should be a priority for firms in the current climate.
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