Environmental organization Greenpeace reported that at least 107 companies with the help of hackers have broken into the Brazilian authorities' IT systems. The companies could to give themselves permission to cut down more trees in the rainforest than they where allowed to.
The hackers managed to break into the system, which issues permits to transport companies, so they were able to run more timber from the areas where trees are felled.
The hackers changed the number of permits that could be issued, so the companies could conduct more timber, although their quota had been exhausted.
The Brazilian Environment Ministry introduced the Internet-based computer system for the registration of timber transportation two years ago.
According to Greenpeace, the Brazilian authorities state that the hackers have helped firms to carry out 1.7 million cubic meters of illegally logged timber from the Brazilian rainforest.
At least 202 persons will be prosecuted in the case and the prosecution has demanded compensation of more than 4.7 billion dollars from the companies involved
The authorities fear that the current case is just the tip of the iceberg, because the investigation has focused on a single state, because there are two more states, using the same computer system.
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