Why we should hope Yahoo’s feeble excuse for its massive hack is true
TAIPEI — It’s funny because it’s true.Claiming a hack was launched by a foreign government is the ultimate get-out-of-jail-free card for embarrassed corporate executives.Yahoo said on Thursday that a massive attack on its network in 2014 allowed hackers to steal data from half a billion users.Yahoo, which confirmed details of the breach months after reports of a major hack, said its investigation concluded that "certain user account information was stolen" and that the attack came from "what it believes is a state-sponsored actor".READ THIS: Yahoo says at least 500-million accounts hacked in 2014Yahoo’s announcement sums up the ridiculous attitude so many in management (and in public relations) take towards cyber security. In blaming a "state-sponsored actor," Yahoo seems to be trying to tell us "there’s nothing we could do". JPMorgan tried a similar tactic, with little success, after a 2014 hack.It’s as if foreign governments are expected to be able to breach any firm’s cyber-secu...
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