Major Wall Street firms targeted in attempted cyberattack…

Hackers recently targeted major Wall Street financial firms and hedge funds with sophisticated cyberattacks aimed at their information systems. Notable firms such as Point72 Asset Management reported these attempts, claiming no customer data was compromised. The attacks involved phone tactics to trick employees into revealing sensitive information, a method effective for groups like 'Scattered Spider'. Cybersecurity experts highlight that such hacking attempts on financial institutions are common. The White House has initiated a working group to tackle increasing AI-powered cyber threats.

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NEW YORK, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Hackers attempted a series of sophisticated cyberattacks on major Wall Street financial services firms and ‌money managers in recent days, targeting their information systems, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Some of the world's largest hedge funds along with several private equity firms were targeted, the sources said, requesting anonymity as the matter is confidential.

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The hacking attempts featured phone calls in which ⁠cybercriminals tried to trick employees into granting them access or handing over other sensitive information, the sources said.

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Point72 Asset Management told investors on Wednesday that it had faced an attack from hackers, one of the sources said, adding that the firm indicated that no customer information was stolen during the attack.

The hackers also attempted to breach information systems at other hedge funds, including Two Sigma Investments and Citadel, the sources said. Two Sigma did not immediately ‌respond ⁠to Reuters' request for comment. Citadel and Point72 declined to comment.

Attempts by hackers to break into major financial institutions are routine, according to cybersecurity experts.

The phone-call tactic is still widely used by hackers because of its effectiveness. It has been used ⁠successfully by cybercriminal groups such as "Scattered Spider," a loose-knit group of young hackers that has racked up a large roster of corporate victims over the past few years.

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Global ⁠companies are battling a surge in AI-powered cyberattacks and ransomware that disrupt operations and steal data. The White House announced a working group earlier ⁠this year, uniting AI developers and critical infrastructure operators to share threat intelligence and coordinate cyber defenses.

Reporting by Pritam Biswas and Raphael Satter, additional reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar and David Gaffen

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Raphael Satter

Thomson Reuters

Reporter covering cybersecurity, surveillance, and disinformation for Reuters. Work has included investigations into state-sponsored espionage, deepfake-driven propaganda, and mercenary hacking.

Anirban Sen

Thomson Reuters

Anirban Sen is the Editor in Charge of Market Structure at Reuters in New York where he leads the news agency's coverage of stock exchanges, and market-making firms including Jane Street and Citadel Securities. Previously Anirban was M&A Editor at Reuters, leading a team of reporters who regularly broke market-moving news about the biggest deals in corporate America. Some of his scoops have included Mars' $36 billion deal for snack maker Kellanova, design software firm Synopsys' $35 billion deal for Ansys, and buyout firm GTCR’s $18.5 billion deal for merchant services provider Worldpay. In 2023, Anirban was part of a Reuters team that won a Gerald Loeb Award for the agency's coverage of the collapse of FTX. After starting with Reuters in Bangalore in 2009, he left in 2013 to work as a technology deals reporter in several leading business news outlets in India, including The Economic Times and Mint. Anirban rejoined Reuters in 2019 as Editor in Charge, Finance, to lead a team of reporters in India, covering everything from investment banking to venture capital.

Major Wall Street firms targeted in attempted cyberattacks, sources say

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