JPMorgan Chase hackers also attacked 8 other financial institutions

JPMorgan Chase, which was hit by a massive hack disclosed in August, was just one of 10 financial institutions infiltrated by a group of overseas hackers that may have connections to officials in the Russian government, according to a new report. Unnamed sources told the New York Times that the hackers who stole addresses, names, email addresses and phone numbers from 76 million households and 7 million small businesses by attacking JPMorgan’s systems appeared to have at least loose connections with officials of the Russian government.

The huge cyberattack on JPMorgan Chase that touched more than 83 million households and businesses was one of the most serious computer intrusions into an American corporation. But it could have been much worse. Questions over who the hackers are and the approach of their attack concern government and industry officials. Also troubling is that about nine other financial institutions — a number that has not been previously reported — were also infiltrated by the same group of overseas hackers, according to people briefed on the matter. The hackers are thought to be operating from Russia and appear to have at least loose connections with officials of the Russian government, the people briefed on the matter said. It is unclear whether the other intrusions, at banks and brokerage firms, were as deep as the one that JPMorgan disclosed on Thursday. The identities of the other institutions could not be immediately learned.