"A break-in targeting State Department computers
worldwide last summer occurred after a department employee in Asia
opened a mysterious e-mail that quietly allowed hackers inside the U.S.
government’s network.
In the first public account revealing details about the
intrusion and the government’s hurried behind-the-scenes response, a
senior State Department official described an elaborate ploy by
sophisticated international hackers. They used a secret break-in
technique that exploited a design flaw in Microsoft software.
Consumers using the same software remained vulnerable until months afterward.
Donald R. Reid, the senior security coordinator for the Bureau
of Diplomatic Security, also confirmed that a limited amount of U.S.
government data was stolen by the hackers until tripwires severed all
the State Department’s Internet connections throughout eastern Asia.
The shut-off left U.S. government offices without Internet access in
the tense weeks preceding missile tests by
North Korea."
Article Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070419/ap_on_hi_te/hackers_state_department
