Stratfor Confirms Attack by AntiSec Hackers

In a Robin Hood-style attack, hackers with links to the Anonymous group have claimed to have transferred more than $500,000 from the global security firm Stratfor's private accounts to various charities, including Red Cross, CARE and Save the Children.

According to the Guardian, the firm's client information, including personal identification and credit card security codes, has been stolen. To prevent further unauthorized access to the company's private information, its CEO George Friedman has made adequate security arrangements with remote monitoring and isolation of client's private data. The firm's high-profile client list includes several U.S. government departments, foreign embassies, Interpol, the U.S. army and the United Nations.

As a precautionary measure, Friedman has advised the company's clients to refrain from making any aggressive public comments against the culprits and also not disclose any private information on Facebook. The hackers have reportedly scoffed at those who complained or commented against the theft and plundered excessive cash from their accounts.

One anonymous member of the group, known by the alias AnonymousSabu on Twitter, has reportedly claimed to have hacked into more than 90,000 credit card security codes to make donations. The list of his victims surprisingly includes law enforcement agencies, apart from the intelligence community and journalists.

The hackers have apparently demanded a holiday feast for Bradley Manning - a U.S. army private accused of sharing thousands of confidential government files with WikiLeaks - at a restaurant of his choice in exchange for discontinuing hack attacks on the firm and its client accounts. The group, identifying itself as AntiSec, has reportedly resorted to the extreme step as a protest against the imprisonment of Manning.

Stratfor's vice-president of Intelligence Fred Burton has stated that the company has sought the help of law enforcement agencies to investigate further into the unauthorized intrusion. A dedicated identity theft specialist and a second security expert have been roped in to provide additional security to the company's private data.