By Devlin Barrett and Emily Glazer
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is probing a possible
computer hacking attack on J.P. Morgan Chase & Co, in what
people familiar with the probe described as a significant breach of
corporate computer security.
The extent of the hacking--when it began, what it affected, and
the potential costs for the company--weren't immediately clear. The
company and federal cyber investigators are in discussions as they
pursue the apparent attack on the bank's computers.
"Companies of our size unfortunately experience cyberattacks
nearly every day," said Trish Wexler, a J.P. Morgan spokeswoman, in
a statement. "We have multiple, layers of defense to counteract any
threats and constantly monitor fraud levels."
The attack appears to have been caused by malicious computer
code, known as malware, according to a person familiar with the
matter. Malicious software, known as malware, was the method used
by hackers who broke into Target Corp.'s credit-card system last
year and stole sensitive account information from millions of the
store's customers. Malware has also been cited as a potential cause
of a recent breach at supermarket chain Supervalu Inc., according
to people familiar with that incident.
Write to Devlin Barrett at devlin.barrett@wsj.com and Emily
Glazer at emily.glazer@wsj.com
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