• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Excelitas Qioptiq banner

BATTLESPACE Updates

   +44 (0)77689 54766
   

  • Home
  • Features
  • News Updates
  • Defence Engage
  • Company Directory
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media Pack 2023

HOMELAND SECURITY

April 1, 2009 by

HOMELAND SECURITY

30 Mar 09. A Chinese spying operation has obtained sensitive data from hundreds of government computers in more than 100 countries, according to a new report. Dennis Blair, the new US director of national intelligence, said that cyber-security was ‘very high priority’. University of Toronto experts found 1,295 infected computers around the world and observed the operation stealing documents and watching and listening to users through webcams and microphones. The report will spark fresh alarm about the extent of information warfare and, in particular, about Chinese hacking. The high proportion of “high-value” infections suggested the existence of a targeted spying operation rather than a criminal network. The researchers could not establish that the Chinese government was behind the hacking effort – dubbed GhostNet – but they noted that the targets were groups of particular interest to ­Beijing, including Tibetan independence activists. Among the 1,295 infected machines, 397 were “either significant to the relation between China and Tibet, Taiwan or India, or were identified as computers at foreign embassies, diplomatic missions, government ministries or international organisations”, the report said. Triggered by a request from the Tibetan government in exile, the 10-month investigation found that several computers in the office of the Dalai Lama had been infiltrated by malware, virus-like software that hijacks a machine and makes it obey commands from the attackers.The report said circumstantial evidence suggested that the Chinese state had exploited this set of high­profile targets for “military and strategic-intelligence purposes”. It said many attacks appeared to come from Hainan island, home of the Chinese military’s Lingshui signals intelligence facility. Dennis Blair, the new US director of national intelligence, on Friday said cyber-security was a “very high priority”. He said organised states, such as China and Russia – and not Muslim terrorist organisations – posed the biggest threat, and said the US needed to be better at identifying where attacks originated. “China is I think winning the sweepstakes for the origin of the most attacks on US organisations. I think it’s second, after attacks originating in the United States, but it’s up there in terms of foreign countries,” he said. Barack Obama, the president, has ordered a review of cyber-security as US government agencies increasingly fall victim to attacks. In 2007, Chinese military hackers penetrated the Pentagon computer network serving Robert Gates, the US defence secretary. Hackers originating from China last year broke into the White House computer system. (Source: FT.com)

29 Mar 09. Yesterday afternoon, March 28th, forces from Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) disrupted a piracy attack while conducting counter-piracy operations off the Horn of Africa. At approximately 1200 GMT, the US Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate USS HALYBURTON received a piracy emergency call from GRANDEZZA, a thirty seven meter Maldivian flagged yacht sailing in the Gulf of Aden. The yacht reported being under machinegun and rocket propelled grenade attack from at least one skiff, a small open hull motorboat. Due to the distance between NATO surface assets and GRANDEZZA, HALYBURTON immediately “scrambled” one of two embarked SH-60 SEAHAWK helicopters, CUTLASS 476, to provide support to GRANDEZZA and disrupt the piracy attack. After bold manoeuvring and defensive actions by GRANDEZZA and the arrival of CUTLASS 476 on scene, the pirates abandoned their attack and raced to escape. Due to the large distances involved, and the fact that the helicopter had to leave the scene to refuel, the pirate vessel was able to evade detection before surface forces could arrive on scene. DE ZEVEN PROVINCIËN debriefed the crew of GRANDEZZA and obtained statements and photographs of the pirates, which along with video imagery from CUTLASS 476, will be used in the future to

Primary Sidebar

Advertisers

  • qioptiq.com
  • Exensor
  • TCI
  • Visit the Oxley website
  • Visit the Viasat website
  • Blighter
  • SPECTRA
  • Britbots logo
  • Faun Trackway
  • Systematic
  • CISION logo
  • ProTEK logo
  • businesswire logo
  • ProTEK logo
  • ssafa logo
  • Atkins
  • IEE
  • EXFOR logo
  • KME logo
  • DSEi
  • sibylline logo
  • Team Thunder logo
  • Commando Spirit - Blended Scoth Whisy
  • Comtech logo
Hilux Military Raceday Novemeber 2023 Chepstow

Contact Us

BATTLESPACE Publications
Old Charlock
Abthorpe Road
Silverstone
Towcester NN12 8TW

+44 (0)77689 54766

BATTLESPACE Technologies

An international defence electronics news service providing our readers with up to date developments in the defence electronics industry.

Recent News

  • PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

    January 26, 2023
    Read more
  • EXHIBITIONS AND CONFERENCES

    January 20, 2023
    Read more
  • MANAGEMENT ON THE MOVE

    January 20, 2023
    Read more

Copyright BATTLESPACE Publications © 2002–2023.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. If you continue to use the website, we'll assume you're ok with this.   Read More  Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT