Foreign entity hacks Obama, McCain computers

Newsweek reports that the computer systems of both the Barack Obama and John McCain presidential campaigns were victims of sophisticated cyber attacks this past summer. The attacks prompted an FBI investigation and has led government officials to believe that the effort was orchestrated by an unknown "foreign entity."

During the summer, technology experts at the Obama headquarters detected what they thought was a computer virus that may have been aimed at stealing passwords or credit card numbers. By the next day, both the FBI and the Secret Service said it was more serious.

"You have a problem way bigger than what you understand," an agent told them. "You have been compromised, and a serious amount of files have been loaded off your system."

The following day, White House chief of staff Josh Bolten confirmed the severity of the cyber attack to Obama aides. They later learned that the McCain campaign's computer system had been similarly compromised. Newsweek said the FBI and White House officials told the Obama campaign that they believed a foreign entity or organization sought to gather information on the evolution of both camps' policy issues--information that might be useful in negotiations with a future administration. Obama technical experts later speculated that the hackers were Russian or Chinese. 
 
For more on this breach:
- see this Newsweek.com article

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