Hackers accused of trying to blackmail Symantec

A group of hackers tried to blackmail anti-virus company Symantec for $50,000 in exchange for stolen information about its security software, Reuters reports.

The company says the hackers were actually communicating with law enforcement officers posing as company officials. Symantec did not identify the law enforcement agency that is working on the case.

The company confirmed that the hackers had obtained the source code for some of its products through a 2006 data breach.

One of the hackers, part of a group called Lords of Dharmaraja and affiliated with Anonymous, told Reuters that he never intended to take the money.

"We tricked them into offering us a bribe so we could humiliate them," the hacker claimed.

In recent weeks, the hacker has posted pieces of source code to Symantec's popular anti-virus software, Norton Utilities, online.

Symantec said it has updated its software since the 2006 breach and there is no risk to consumers even if the full source code is released.

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