NEW YORK — This cyber attack didn’t go after people playing war games on their PlayStations. It targeted a company that helps the U.S. military do the real thing.
Lockheed Martin says it was the recent target of a “significant and tenacious” hack, although the defense contractor and the Department of Homeland Security insist the attack was thwarted before any critical data was stolen. The effort highlighted the fact that some hackers, including many working for foreign governments, set their sights on information far more devastating than credit card numbers.
Information security experts say a rash of cyber attacks this year – including a massive security breach at Sony Corp. ( SNE – news – people ) last month that affected millions of PlayStation users – has emboldened hackers and made them more willing to pursue sensitive information.
“2011 has really lit up the boards in terms of data breaches,” said Josh Shaul, chief technology officer at Application Security, a New York-based company that is one of the largest database security software makers. “The list of targets just grows and grows.”
Lockheed Martin Corp. said in a statement Saturday that it detected the May 21 attack “almost immediately” and took countermeasures.
“Our systems remain secure; no customer, program or employee personal data has been compromised,” the Bethesda, Md.-based company said. Neither Lockheed Martin nor federal agencies would reveal specifics of the attack, or its origins. Company spokeswoman Jennifer Whitlow declined to comment further on the case Sunday.