Yahoo hack has footprints of state-sponsored hackers, but what was the motive? - Jonathan Cave

With the recent Yahoo hack revelation re-igniting the state-sponsored hacking, and data risk debate, we look at the possible motive, and why there is a need for cultural change in internet users with Jonathan Cave - Internet Policy & Privacy Identify, University of Warwick, and interviewed by Zak Mir, Presenter at Tip TV.

The revelation of the Yahoo data hack which was committed two years ago caused a few raised eyebrows, but Cave notes that such hacks take a long time to be found out, and Yahoo has a legal obligation to tell the people about any hacks or exposed vulnerabilities.

With the Yahoo M&A deal in the limelight, Cave notes that “the hack didn’t do any damage to the M&A deal that much, judging via the stock valuation”.

When questioned whether this was a state-sponsored attack, Cave says that “there were footprints of hackers who work for the state”, but the motive here is unclear.

While these vulnerabilities are here to stay for long, Cave believes that is is time we saw a cultural shift among the users, and further adds that “the main lesson is to remind people not to put too much data, and to take down data which is no longer needed.