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Hack attack on JPMorgan Chase, with fingers pointed at Russians

Russians fingered after theft of data at JPMorgan Chase. Attackers also targeted other American banks and European banks may be victims, too

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The FBI is investigating attacks on the computers of banking giant JPMorgan Chase. Photo: AFP

The FBI is investigating attacks on the computers of banking giant JPMorgan Chase and several other American banks, officials said.

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Information that could be used to drain funds was stolen, according to a US official and another person briefed by law enforcement, who added that European banks may have been hit, too. Hackers also took sensitive information from employees' computers.

"We are working with the United States Secret Service to determine the scope of recently reported cyberattacks against several American financial institutions," FBI supervisory special agent Joshua Campbell said.

Sources close to the investigation said it was the work of Russian hackers, adding investigators had determined that the attacks were routed through computers in Latin America and other regions via servers used by Russian hackers.

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The FBI is believed to be investigating whether it was in retaliation for Western sanctions levied on Russia because of the situation in Ukraine.

But an industry official said it was unclear who conducted the attacks. The FBI did not officially comment on who was thought to be behind the intrusions.

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