The Director said that the FBI and Boston Children’s Hospital had been working closely together since 2014. Seven years ago, a hacktivist named Martin Gottesfeld attacked the hospital’s computer network.
Although Gottesfeld got a 10 year sentence the attack cost the hospital and associated facilities tens of thousands of dollars. And caused major disruptions of operations for several days.
“Children’s and our Boston office already knew each other well — before the attack from Iran — and that made a difference,” Wray said.
Director Wray gives Keynote speech
There has been an increase in hack-attacks on energy companies since the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine. And the FBI is “racing” to warn potential targets about preparatory actions that are Russia-based.
Hacker gangs from China “have stolen more corporate and personal data from Americans than all other nations combined,” Wray said. This is part of a broader geopolitical goal to “lie, cheat and steal,” he added.
The threat to the West from the Chinese government is “more brazen” and damaging than ever before. And Beijing is stealing American ideas and innovation and launching massive hacking operations every day.
