RSA warned its customers yesterday that its network had been breached and data had been stolen that could affect customers using its popular SecurID token authentication technology. Although details are scarce, here's what we know so far.

What happened?

Someone launched an "extremely sophisticated cyberattack" on RSA in the form of an Advanced Persistent Threat and data was stolen related to the SecurID technology, the company said in a statement on its Web site. APT attacks are often used for espionage, targeting source code and other information within a company or government agency. They typically involve knowledge of a target's network, key employees, and operations, and can use multiple techniques to get insider information such as social engineering and exploits of unpatched holes in software. APT attacks against Google and other companies that were revealed last year used an exploit for a vulnerability in Internet Explorer that could have been delivered to insiders via e-mail. RSA has declined to provide more details on the incident at this time.

What is SecurID?

SecurID is a two-factor authentication system that organizations use to provide more protection for sensitive data and networks than just a password. With two-factor systems, someone accessing a network needs to provide something they know, which is a password or PIN, and something they have, which can be a thumbdrive-size hardware token or keyfob, or software on a mobile device. The token provides a one-time eight-digit number a user types in along with the password so that the system can verify that the person is authorized to access the network. A different number is used every time the user logs in.

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