Hacker took over BBC server, tried to 'sell' access on Christmas Day

COMPROMISED: A hacker secretly took over a computer server at the BBC, but it is unclear whether the hackers stole data or caused any damage in the attack. - Reuters

BOSTON: A hacker secretly took over a computer server at the BBC, Britain's public broadcaster, and then launched a Christmas Day campaign to convince other cyber criminals to pay him for access to the system.

While it is not known if the hacker found any buyers, the BBC's security team responded to the issue on Saturday and believes it has secured the site, according to a person familiar with the cleanup effort.