Hacker Rips Off US$12,000 in Calls Using Homeland ‘Security’ Phone System

Knowing that the government can keep us safe against evil dildos and penis pumpers, I don’t really give much importance to the fact that a guy got into the U.S. Homeland Security Department phone system to make more than 400 calls to his buddies in friendly countries like Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. According to security consultant John Jackson, the hacking was very low-tech and old school, which probably would make Steve “Blue Box” Wozniak proud, but it was an embarrassment for the agency:

In this case it’s sort of embarrassing that it happened to FEMA themselves – FEMA being a child of DHS, with calls going to the Middle East.

The security breach happened in the voice mail system of the Private Branch Exchange (PBX) of FEMA. But don’t fret, fellow Americans: Thankfully, the “security” in Homeland Security kicked right in. Oh wait, it didn’t: the breach was actually detected by the phone company, who couldn’t believe the US$12,000 in calls to Middle East countries. [AP]