Wake Tech computer system shut down by cyber attack
Authorities believe a cyber attack shut down the Wake Technical Community College's computer system for several days earlier this year, according to search warrants made public Friday.
Posted — UpdatedAccording to investigators, the suspected hackers kept students, faculty and staff from accessing their email and other online accounts from Feb. 20 to Feb. 23. The hackers also posted derogatory and threatening messages on the school's Twitter account that included profanity and racial slurs.
Local authorities partnered with the FBI, SBI and the Department of Homeland Security to trace the origin of the tweets to 105 Flora Springs Drive in Cary.
According to search warrants, a resident of the home was a student at Wake Tech at the time of the attack. A second resident, a student at Panther Creek High School, belongs to a forum call "hackforums." The accounts linked to the high school student hit the Wake Tech firewall more than 1,000 times near the time of the attack, investigators said.
According to search warrants, Wake Tech hired a security company and purchased a new firewall system for more than $88,000 following the attack.
No arrests have been made, but the investigation is ongoing.
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