Feds Trying to Crack Jason's Deli Virus

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - It all started in August as countless people who used their credit cards at Jason's Deli Ridgeway location lost thousands of dollars after a hacker compromised the stores system.

Tuesday night Memphis Secret Service Agents broke the case saying a virus which tapped into the Jason's Deli main frame started in Russia.

Wednesday Memphis Special Agent in charge Rick Harlow said the reason why it wasn't detected originally is because the virus has never been seen before.

"If it's never been seem before the anti virus can't see it," said Harlow.

The same virus is now hitting businesses on the West Coast in cities like San Francisco and Seattle.

Federal investigators at Carnegie Melon in Pennsylvania are now working on breaking the virus down and creating a fix in the form of an anti virus.

"Its a federally funded lab in Carnegie melon that will break this malicious software down figure out what it does how it works and develop an inoculation for it," said Harlow.

FOX13 Internet Technologies Director Randy Adams says the ability for knowledgeable hackers to hack a system is rather easy.

"Once they find those holes they find ways to deploy mechanisms live viruses and bugs and Trojans and things like that to exploit those holes," said Adams.

Adams said while some businesses have more secure systems than others, hackers internationally are always trying to crack system strength.

"In Russia in China and India are big virus writing rings over there its big business over there," said Adams.

But Harlow adds with any monetary transaction there's always a risk involved.

"Anytime that you have a computer system its for productivity its from ease of use but the easier you make it for everybody to use the easier it is for things to be introduced," said Harlow.