Spying made simple: Hackers use old tools to dodge detection

A Romanian security firm says it has discovered a ring of digital spies using bottom-rung tools to break into hundreds of government computers. The find suggests that you don't necessarily need sophistication to steal secrets.

Bitdefender analyst Bogdan Botezatu said the previously undiscovered hacking group flew under researchers' radar by using well-worn electronic espionage techniques, some more than a decade old.

He told The Associated Press the group's "simplicity is its strength."

Botezatu wouldn't reveal the group's identity or its targets beyond saying that its victims included a slew of government agencies. He said he needed to be discreet to avoid disrupting ongoing investigations.