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The Maui News
Special agents with Homeland Security Investigations in Honolulu disrupted a cyberattack on an underwater cable linking Hawaii and the Pacific Region to critical telecommunications, including the internet, cable service and cellphones.
The breach specifically targeted infrastructure on Oahu, the agency said in a news release Tuesday.
"This is only one of the many examples of cyber incidents that HSI has responded to in Hawaii and the Pacific Region," Special Agent in Charge John F. Tobon said. "Not only do we aggressively pursue these bad actors, but we also provide significant support to the private sector victims."
Last week, based on a tip from HSI agents on the Mainland, an HSI Honolulu Cyber Incident Response Team disrupted the significant breach involving a private company's servers associated with an oceanic undersea cable, the news release said. Agents immediately took steps to prevent any further unauthorized access.
An HSI investigation identified an international hacking group responsible for the attack. HSI agents and international law enforcement partners in several countries were able to make an arrest.
No further information will be released pending prosecution, the news release said.
"We live in paradise, but that does not mean there is a diminished threat, particularly in the cyber world," Tobon said. "Our goal is to interrupt the hackers before serious damage is done."
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through international trade, travel and finance.