FBI helps companies discourage hackers by planting fake data

A leaked document shows that the FBI has set up a security program for companies, where fake data is placed on the servers. This should cause confusion for burglars and prevent important company data from being stolen.

The program was not announced by the FBI, but came out through Ars Technica. The site has seen a document explaining how U.S. authorities are helping companies keep hackers out, which was confirmed by an FBI spokesperson. The program is called IDLE, which stands for Illicit Data Loss Exploitation.

Through IDLE, the FBI helps companies to put fake data on their servers, created from real company data and woven into existing file structures. This should ensure that hackers do not know which data they can trust if they steal it during a hack. Also, placing ‘bait’ should help to track down intruders on the servers. This is possible, for example, if the data appears elsewhere on the web. Incidentally, the FBI is not supposed to monitor company servers; the companies themselves have to do that.

The authorities also proactively contact companies if they believe there is a threat. Whereas in the past people mainly waited for a hack to take place, the FBI now tries to intervene in advance to limit the impact of a possible hack.