Breach, Data Security, Network Security, Vulnerability Management

GlobalSign discovers “isolated” web server compromise

Portsmouth, N.H.-based certificate authority (CA) GlobalSign has discovered that the web server hosting its site was compromised by hackers, the company announced late Friday.

“The breached web server has always been isolated from all other infrastructure and is used only to serve the www.globalsign.com website,” GlobalSign said in a news release. “At present there is no further evidence of breach other than the isolated www web server.”

The company said it is closely monitoring all activity to its services in light of what it deems an “industry-wide” attack against CAs.

Last week, GlobalSign temporarily suspended its issuing of SSL credentials due to claims from a hacker linked to recent attacks on CAs Comodo and DigiNotar. The so-called Comodohacker claimed responsibility for the recent attack on DigiNotar and said he has access to four other CAs, including GlobalSign.

GlobalSign, however, said last week that its CA root has never been connected to a network.

“Any claim of the Comodohacker to holding a private key does not refer to the GlobalSign offline root CA,” the company said.

GlobalSign began bringing its system components back online Monday. Information gleaned from its investigation is being shared with law enforcement and other CAs.

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