IMF Was Cyber-Attacked

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), which is in possession of sensitive information about the fiscal situation of many countries, was the victim of a “complex” cyber attack recently, reported The New York Times.

The IMF said on Wednesday to its staff and board of directors that their system was attacked by hackers and that the damage level was unknown. The financial institution, however, made no public announcement about the attack, which occurred at a time when the institution tries to select a new leader after the arrest of Dominique Strauss-Kahn last month in NewYork.

Several senior officials told the newspaper that the attack was “serious and complex.” “This is a big security breach,” said one official, who said the attack occurred over the past few months, even before the arrest of Strauss-Kahn for the alleged attempted rape against an employee Hotels in New York.

David Hawley, IMF spokesman, informed on Friday that they are “investigating the incident, and the Fund is fully operating,” but gave no details. The IMF has been leading the rescue packages for Portugal, Greece and Ireland, and is in possession of sensitive information about other countries that are on the verge of a crisis, as well as information that may affect the markets.

The institution also has data on financial bailout negotiations, said an IMF official, is “dynamite” in many countries.

Source: The New York Times