FBI investigates hackers who accessed a town's phone system

"It apparently happens more often than you might think. A group of computer hackers get access to a town's entire phone system and use the access to make overseas calls.

"The latest instance happened in the town of Hillsborough, New Hampshire. Authorities say hackers got into the system and made hundreds of hours worth of calls to countries on six continents.

"Town officials say some of the calls last month reached as far away as Libya, Egypt, Pakistan, Nepal and elsewhere. Because some of the calls involved countries where terrorist groups are known to operate, the town contacted police, the FBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Those agencies are now investigating.

"A professor who teaches about homeland security issues says terrorists often use the Internet to hack into phone systems so they can mask their identities and locations."

Source: WNDU