Security News > 2011 > March > Congressman Probing HBGary Scandal Fears âDomestic Surveillanceâ
http://blogs.forbes.com/parmyolson/2011/03/23/congressman-probing-hbgary-scandal-fears-domestic-surveillance/ By Parmy Olson Forbes.com March 23 2011 When a small team of hackers launched a 24-hour assault on software security firm HBGary Federal last month, they did so to take revenge on its CEO, who had sought to penetrate the global collective they aligned themselves with known as Anonymous. They did that and more. Now a Congressional subcommittee has asked to see all HBGary Federalâs contracts with the U.S. military and the National Security Agency (NSA), along with those agenciesâ contracts with two other private security firms, Berico Technologies and Palantir Technologies. The hacked HBGary Federal emails that were posted online showed the three firms had proposed a plan to the Chamber of Commerceâs legal representative Hunton & Williams to infiltrate and discredit the Chamberâs opponents with fake documents, personas, and potentially even malicious software. There were also proposals to track and intimidate supporters of WikiLeaks. The man behind the investigation, Rep. Hank Johnson, a Democrat from Georgiaâs 4th House District, penned a letter signed by 19 other members of Congress calling for a subcommittee investigation on March 1. He believes the Chamber, Hunton & Williams, and the three security firms were in discussion regarding a âpotentially illegalâ scheme, according to a memo from his office. Given the classified and convoluted nature of the alleged activities (not to mention lobbyists who will undoubtedly take issue with it), itâs possible Johnsonâs Congressional probe will lead him and others down a long and winding rabbit hole. Thatâs also because of the wider implications he sees behind the HBGary revelations: domestic surveillance on Americans. [...]