5-13-13
WTOP.com and FederalNewsRadio.com are once again accessible to all internet users following resolution of a cyber attack against the websites. WTOP.com and FederalNewsRadio.com were victims of cyber attacks last week. When the attacks were discovered, an investigation was launched immediately, the malicious code was removed, additional security measures were installed, and federal law enforcement officials were notified of the incident.
Hubbard Radio Senior VP and General Manager Joel Oxley said, ?Getting the websites back up and running safely for all users has been our top priority. We take our users? privacy very seriously, and we have taken steps to prevent similar occurrences. We apologize to our user community for any inconvenience that this incident has caused.?
Access to the websites from Internet Explorer web browsers was blocked to allow for a careful examination of how site security was compromised and after the initial review which suggested that the hackers may have targeted Internet Explorer users.
"We have found and eliminated the vulnerabilities that were exploited," said John Spaulding, Washington, D.C. Director of Information Systems for Hubbard Radio, WTOP?s and Federal News Radio?s parent company.
Computers infected with the malware may display a pop-up message indicating that the computer is infected with a virus. This pop-up message may be fake, if it prompts the user to click on a link which takes them to a website that is not recognized by the user. This fake website offers security software for sale and prompts users to provide personal information, including credit card numbers. Users should not provide information, if prompted to do so.
Computers with up-to-date virus files and security software should identify the malware and provide instructions on how to delete or quarantine it.
Out of an abundance of caution, WTOP.com and FederalNewsRadio.com users who accessed the websites from any web browser during the cyber attack which occurred approximately May 5th to May 7th are encouraged to update and run their security software and perform a malware scan on their computer.
In addition, the passwords for all registered users and users who receive breaking news and daily headline emails from both websites have been reset. These users have been contacted directly, informed of the need to reset their passwords the next time they visit a website, and encouraged to change their passwords on other websites where they use the same password.
"During the cyber attack, it is possible the database of WTOP.com and FederalNewsRadio.com email users may have been compromised. However, we have no evidence that any log-in information was actually acquired by the hackers,? said Spaulding Neither WTOP.com nor FederalNewsRadio.com collect or store social security numbers or credit card information.
