Apple, Facebook hackers hit car and candy companies too
More details have been revealed about the massive cyberattack that hit several tech companies last month. Not only were Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, and Twitter hit -- but other industries' computer systems were also hacked, including prominent car manufacturers, U.S. government agencies, and a candy company.
According to The Security Ledger, people familiar with the matter said that hackers infiltrated computer networks by using at least three third-party "watering hole" Web sites, which made it possible for hackers to put malware on those companies' computers.
"The breadth of types of services and entities targeted does not reflect a targeted attack on a single tech or industry sector," Facebook's chief of security, Joe Sullivan, told The Security Ledger. Roughly 40 known companies have been victims of cyberattacks during the past several months. At least some of these hacks are thought to have originated in Eastern Europe while others are suspected to have come from China.