Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN)?s Web Services cloud- computing unit was used by hackers in last month?s attack against
Sony Corp. (6758)?s online entertainment systems, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.
Hackers using an alias signed up to rent a server through Amazon?s EC2 service and launched the attack from there, said the person, who requested anonymity because the information is confidential. The account has been shut down, the person said.
The development sheds light on how hackers used the so- called cloud to carry out the second-biggest online theft of personal information to date. The incursion, which compromised the personal accounts of more than 100 million Sony customers, was ?a very carefully planned, very professional, highly sophisticated criminal cyber attack,? Sony has said.
Drew Herdener, a spokesman for Seattle-based Amazon, declined to comment.
?We?re continuing to work with
law enforcement in an ongoing investigation into the situation,? said Patrick Seybold, a U.S. spokesman for Tokyo-based Sony. ?As such, we will not comment further on this matter.?
The hackers didn?t break into the Amazon servers, the person said. Rather, they signed up for the service just as a legitimate company would, using fake information.
Even so, the breach at Amazon is likely to call attention to concerns some businesses have voiced over the security of computing services delivered via others? remote servers, referred to as cloud computing.
Cloud security is Amazon?s top priority, Chief Executive Officer
Jeff Bezos said at an event sponsored by Consumer Reports magazine this week.
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