Identity Theft News

Hack deletes 100,000 websites, software developer kills self

Thursday, June 11, 2009

The developer of a server virtualization application that was exploited in a hacking attack on web hosting company VAserv hanged himself shortly after the exploit was discovered.

Hackers had exploited a zero-day vulnerability in the application, which was used by British ISP VAserv for hosting websites on undedicated servers. The hackers deleted some 100,000 websites on Sunday, most of which did not have data backup, according to the Register.

The software developer, KT Ligesh, was discovered dead in his home in Bangalore, India on Monday, the Times of India reported. Ligesh, head of the company LxLabs, had been out drinking the night before and was believed to be upset over the loss of a contract and the suicides of his mother and sister five years earlier.

The Register reported Monday that the server virtualization software, called HyperVM, had a critical vulnerability that allowed hackers to penetrate VAserv's servers to gain root access and delete the websites.

VAserv's director, Rus Foster, told the Register on Monday that data for about half of the websites hosted on VAserv was destroyed sometime Sunday evening.

The attackers were likely able to steal sensitive data stored on VAserv's servers, a VAserv client told the Register.

Hackers likely used a SQL injection attack, Foster told the IT security news website.