Hackers steal 13,000 Navy purchasing accounts

[htuttle]

I would have posted this in LBN, but the article is from 8/21

Hackers compromise Navy purchase cards
http://gcn.com/vol1_no1/daily-updates/23217-1.html

Hackers recently broke into a Navy system and gained access to 13,000 Navy purchase cards, according to Defense Department officials who are investigating the incident.

The DOD Purchase Card Program Management Office has issued a release stating that the Navy has cancelled all of its purchase card accounts—about 22,000—to minimize the number of unauthorized purchases, and is working closely with the issuing company, Citibank.

(snip)

The Navy has had other problems with its purchase cards. Last year, the General Accounting Office released a report that uncovered widespread abuse by many within the Navy and other services and suggested the DOD impose credit checks on employees who carry them.

(snip)

At the time, deputy Defense secretary Paul Wolfowitz said the department would begin using data-mining software to monitor purchase patterns in search of misuse or fraud.

Good thing our military defense spending is more than most other countries combined...

[Bandit]

1. Oh I get it ~ Hackers stole the trillion dollars missing from Defense Dept

:crazy: That's the ticket ~ it was hackers. Damn them hackers. We would of had some really neat killing things if not for them hackers.

[htuttle]

2. Hackers from Bechtel and KBR, maybe...

I keep getting the impression that they don't actually KEEP books at the Pentagon...

[Bandit]

4. BOOKS ~ We don't need no stinkin' books

You are a funny guy. Books at the Pentagon. Ha Ha Ha Ha. They keep books just like they tell the truth.

[ret5hd]

6. actually, dyncorp keeps most of the gov't books...

no ready source on that, but...

i was reading an article that detailed how dyncorp lobbied for and got the contract to "run" the gov't books. the main thrust of the article was how this placed our gov'ts most sensitive data in private hands.

maybe someone here can come up w/ the source for this. it seems it was about a year ago i was reading this.

[htuttle]

7. I've read that too

In fact, the latest 'audit' was done by none other than Arthur Anderson, if I'm remembering correctly...

:eyes:

[ret5hd]

8. i'm going to kick this to the top 'cause...

i am really hoping someone remembers the source for this.

you would think that i would bookmark something like that.

[htuttle]

9. I think it's mentioned in one of the links on this page

From the penultimate DynCorp site:

http://www.dyncorp-sucks.com/dyncorp_news.htm

There's a LOT to read there, however. Too much for me to plow through at the moment.

[ret5hd]

12. thnx...should'a thought of that. (nt)

[TacticalPeek]

3. What's the limit on those cards?

Wonder if it's about $1,000 million, which is what the Pentagon can't account for (well, what we know they can't account for)?


Military Waste Under Fire - $1 Trillion Missing

link http://bernie.house.gov/documents/articles/20030520151455.asp

[htuttle]

5. The money was missing long before the purchasing accounts were

I think the missing trillions (it was actually about 2.3 trillion over about 10 years, IIRC) are in the pockets of some defense contractors, not hackers (how the hell would a hacker dispose of trillion dollars without getting caught?).

[TacticalPeek]

10. Right, trail of empty Jolt bottles would be pretty obvious. n/t

[demnan]

11. Use of those credit cards is universal throughout the

government. You don't need approval or anything. Allowing people to use these cards for purchasing assumes absolute trust of the person to whom the card is issued.

It was only a matter of time that someone would steal these accounts and start using them for dishonest means. Less than honest people in the government have been able to use these cards for a long time.

Most of the government is very sloppy in their record-keeping.

on edit: a typo.