Hackers stage a second attack on stock exchange website
Unidentified hackers staged a second attack on the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing news website on Thursday a day after the Hong Kong stock exchange operator suffered an attack which forced it to suspend some share trading.
Charles Li, chief executive of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, confirmed the second attack was unsuccessful because the website’s firewalls prevented hackers gaining access to the site.
Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday afternoon, Li said the hacking attempt took place at around 11am, about the same time as the previous day’s attack, when the website typically sees the highest visitor traffic.
Li was unsure where the hackers were based, but confirmed that police and the shares watchdog, the Securities and Futures Commission, were investigating both incidents.
In Wednesday’s incident, the stock exchange suspended trading in shares of eight companies that released price sensitive information from lunchtime.
This came after hackers successfully infiltrated the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing news website which prevented price sensitive information including interim results announcements being uploaded.
Seven of the companies, including banking giant HSBC and Cathay Pacific Airways, have a combined market value of 1.5 trillion Hong Kong dollars (192 billion dollars).
Justifying the move, Li said it was the fairest way to help investors find alternative ways to locate the affected firm’s corporate announcements.
The stock exchange was heavily criticised by brokers and investors for what was seen as heavy handed action by the stock market operator.
Acting government chief executive Henry Tang asked the stock market company to investigate the attack and “to prevent future occurrence”.
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