Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia's state-owned oil giant, has recovered, with its 30,000 computers back online after a major computer virus apparently launched by a group called the Cutting Sword of Justice.
The virus struck on 15 August and forced the company to take its website offline. Critical data on three-quarters of the company's PCs was replaced with the image of a burning American flag.
According to IT security experts, the virus, named Shamoon, was designed to overwrite critical files with the flag image.
Aramco says it has not isolated all of its electronic systems from outside access, and that oil production was in no way affected by the attack.
The hacking group said the attack was a response to the Saudi government's "crimes and atrocities" committed in several countries.
By. Charles Kennedy of Oilprice.com
Charles is a writer for Oilprice.com More