cageymaru
Fully [H]
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2003
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The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the U.S. Navy and Air Force are the focus of new cyberattacks as the hackers search the computer systems of contractors to find classified advanced military technology. A Chinese hacking group known as Temp.Periscope or Leviathan is using email phishing schemes to break into the computer networks of Navy contractors and subcontractors. Plans to build a supersonic anti-ship missile were stolen in June. Large and small contractors are affected, but the smaller contractors can't afford to secure their systems.
A U.S. cybersecurity firm called FireEye has closely tracked the Leviathan group and says that they are the most prolific Chinese hacking group since they reformed in the middle of 2017. Other Chinese hacking groups have been accused of the Marriott International data breach. China has seemingly abandoned the 2015 accord to refrain from economic espionage and hacking activities.
Though most of the hacking involves the theft of secrets, Navy officials say China also wants to demonstrate it can pose a different kind of threat even if it is unable to engage the U.S. military ship-to-ship or airplane-to-airplane. "They are looking for our weak underbelly," said one defense official. "An asymmetric way to engage the United States without ever having to fire a round."
A U.S. cybersecurity firm called FireEye has closely tracked the Leviathan group and says that they are the most prolific Chinese hacking group since they reformed in the middle of 2017. Other Chinese hacking groups have been accused of the Marriott International data breach. China has seemingly abandoned the 2015 accord to refrain from economic espionage and hacking activities.
Though most of the hacking involves the theft of secrets, Navy officials say China also wants to demonstrate it can pose a different kind of threat even if it is unable to engage the U.S. military ship-to-ship or airplane-to-airplane. "They are looking for our weak underbelly," said one defense official. "An asymmetric way to engage the United States without ever having to fire a round."