DataBreaches.Net

Menu
  • About
  • Breach Notification Laws
  • Privacy Policy
  • Transparency Report
Menu

HSBC whistleblower in hiding amid money-laundering investigation

Posted on December 9, 2009 by Dissent

The Times Online has more details on the HSBC breach that is causing some international conflict. Earlier, HSBC had reported that an employee had stolen some client data (on fewer than 10 clients) and sold it to French authorities who were seeking to investigate French citizens who were using Swiss banks to avoid paying taxes. A French minister had denied paying for any information, but as I noted earlier, his “neither confirm nor deny” did not exactly clarify whether the French had obtained data from the HSBC employee. Adam Sage now reports that the HSBC employee may not be a thief as much as a whistleblower, depending on your perspective:

[…]

The whistleblower is described as 38-year-old man with dual French and Italian nationality, who has been placed under police protection in southern France. He is said to have hacked into HSBC’s client database after foiling its security system and copying details of the accounts.

Patrick Rizzo, the man’s lawyer, said that the man had been given a false identity and a new passport by the French authorities. Mr Rizzo described the Franco-Italian as an idealist who wanted to use transparency to fight financial crime, and added that he was collaborating with detectives in deciphering the documents.

However, a policeman said that the whistleblower had made himself indispensable by coding the computer files using a system of his own invention.


Related:

  • PowerSchool commits to strengthened breach measures following engagement with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
  • Hungarian police arrest suspect in cyberattacks on independent media
  • British institutions to be banned from paying ransoms to Russian hackers
  • Data breach feared after cyberattack on AMEOS hospitals in Germany
  • Inquiry launched after identities of SAS soldiers leaked in fresh data breach
  • Michigan ‘ATM jackpotting’: Florida men allegedly forced machines to dispense $107K
Category: Financial SectorInsiderNon-U.S.

Post navigation

← Judge dismisses shareholder lawsuit against Heartland (updated)
UMC patients at risk of identity theft may wait 60 days to find out →

Now more than ever

"Stand with Ukraine:" above raised hands. The illustration is in blue and yellow, the colors of Ukraine's flag.

Search

Browse by Categories

Recent Posts

  • Scattered Spider Hijacks VMware ESXi to Deploy Ransomware on Critical U.S. Infrastructure
  • Hacker group “Silent Crow” claims responsibility for cyberattack on Russia’s Aeroflot
  • AIIMS ORBO Portal Vulnerability Exposing Sensitive Organ Donor Data Discovered by Researcher
  • Two Data Breaches in Three Years: McKenzie Health
  • Scattered Spider is running a VMware ESXi hacking spree
  • BreachForums — the one that went offline in April — reappears with a new founder/owner
  • Fans React After NASCAR Confirms Ransomware Breach
  • Allianz Life says ‘majority’ of customers’ personal data stolen in cyberattack (1)
  • Infinite Services notifying employees and patients of limited ransomware attack
  • The safe place for women to talk wasn’t so safe: hackers leak 13,000 user photos and IDs from the Tea app

No, You Can’t Buy a Post or an Interview

This site does not accept sponsored posts or link-back arrangements. Inquiries about either are ignored.

And despite what some trolls may try to claim: DataBreaches has never accepted even one dime to interview or report on anyone. Nor will DataBreaches ever pay anyone for data or to interview them.

Want to Get Our RSS Feed?

Grab it here:

https://databreaches.net/feed/

RSS Recent Posts on PogoWasRight.org

  • Congress tries to outlaw AI that jacks up prices based on what it knows about you
  • Microsoft’s controversial Recall feature is now blocked by Brave and AdGuard
  • Trump Administration Issues AI Action Plan and Series of AI Executive Orders
  • Indonesia asked to reassess data privacy terms in new U.S. trade deal
  • Meta Denies Tracking Menstrual Data in Flo Health Privacy Trial
  • Wikipedia seeks to shield contributors from UK law targeting online anonymity
  • British government reportedlu set to back down on secret iCloud backdoor after US pressure

Have a News Tip?

Email: Tips[at]DataBreaches.net

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

Contact Me

Email: info[at]databreaches.net

Mastodon: Infosec.Exchange/@PogoWasRight

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

DMCA Concern: dmca[at]databreaches.net
© 2009 – 2025 DataBreaches.net and DataBreaches LLC. All rights reserved.