Chinese? GhostNet spys on Over 1250 Gov. computers, Over 100 countries

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Chinese? GhostNet spys on Over 1250 Gov. computers, Ove... - 4/2/2009 9:54:54 PM

outlier

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I edited to put the question mark after Chinese in the title because while The Times
seems certain; the actual people who cracked it said in the radio interview they would
not blame the Chinese because they could not be certain.

Here is a Times article about it

A spy network believed to have been controlled from China has hacked into classified documents on government and private computers in 103 countries, according to internet researchers. The spy system, dubbed GhostNet, is alleged to have compromised 1,295 machines at Nato and foreign ministries, embassies, banks and news organisations across the world, as well as computers used by the Dalai Lama and Tibetan exiles.

The work of Information Warfare Monitor (IWM) investigators focused initially on allegations of Chinese cyber-espionage against the Tibetan exile community, but led to a much wider network of compromised machines. IWM said that, while China appeared to be the main source of the network, it had not been able conclusively to identify the hackers. The IWM is composed of researchers from an Ottawa-based think-tank, SecDev Group, and the Munk Centre for International Studies at the University of Toronto.

This is a link to an ON POINT radio interview with the people who discovered it.

ON POINT radio interview

< Message edited by outlier -- 4/2/2009 10:45:05 PM >

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RE: Chinese? GhostNet spys on Over 1250 Gov. computers,... - 4/3/2009 6:27:57 AM

OrionTheWolf

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This would be different from what the US NSA and similar organizations do?

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RE: Chinese? GhostNet spys on Over 1250 Gov. computers,... - 4/3/2009 6:16:55 PM

rulemylife

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I saw this and it makes me wonder about the security of anything stored on a computer.

I do all my financial transactions on-line but I'm seriously thinking of going back to paper and regular mail.

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RE: Chinese? GhostNet spys on Over 1250 Gov. computers,... - 4/3/2009 8:13:07 PM

outlier

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Here is the CNN link about it:

This was a network of interesting trojans with spy abilities.
Using them the hackers could be included in any meeeting
the computer was in, without the owners knowledge.

"Researchers have dubbed the network GhostNet. The network can not only search a
computer but see and hear the people using it, according to the Canadian report.

"GhostNet is capable of taking full control of infected computers, including searching
and downloading specific files, and covertly operating attached devices, including
microphones and web cameras," the report says.

They also said in some cases the sofware included keyloggers.

Further into the article there is this piece of information.
so there is no such thing as an email from a trusted source.

"....Once the attackers gained an initial foothold, "they also stole mail in transit and
replaced the attachments with toxic ones," the report adds.

And in case you are thinking this is targeted at NATO and Governments
and large international companies those were the targets this time. but;
"... The attack has broader implications, Nagaraja and Anderson warn,
since a single person could carry out a similar one.

"Even a capable motivated individual could have carried out the attacks we describe here," they say.

"The computer systems of businesses are almost certain to be hacked by
similar means, if they have not been already, the experts claim."

The final ironic note is that discovering this network and revealing it
the people unintentionally inspired their very own denial of service attack
as people around the world crashed their site trying to learn about it.

"...The Information Warfare Monitor Web site, where the Canadian
report was released, was down Sunday afternoon."

Outlier

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