Russian hackers reportedly seized control of the Pentagon’s email system in less than an hour in August 2015, leaving data of nearly 3,500 people, both civilians and military personnel alike, exposed. The attack was of such magnitude that the only way to stop it was to pull the plug on the entire network, and completely overhaul the Pentagon’s hardware and software systems. But as a result of this incident, we now know how vulnerable our nation’s computer systems are — not just from cyberattacks but also from everyday human error.
Russian hackers reportedly seized control of the Pentagon’s email system in less than an hour in August 2015, leaving data of nearly 3,500 people, both civilians and military personnel alike, exposed. The attack was of such magnitude that the only way to stop it was to pull the plug on the entire network, and completely overhaul the Pentagon’s hardware and software systems. It is believed that the cyberattack was in retaliation to economic sanctions imposed over Putin’s occupation of Crimea and interference in Ukraine.