U.S. arms makers said to be bleeding secrets to cyber foes

Yahoo | Reuters ^ | 6/1/11 | Jim Wolf

[LibWhacker]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Top Pentagon contractors have been bleeding secrets for years as a result of penetrations of their computer networks, current and former national security officials say.

The Defense Department, which runs its own worldwide eavesdropping, spying and code-cracking systems, says more than 100 foreign intelligence organizations have been trying to break into U.S. networks.

Some of the perpetrators "already have the capacity to disrupt" U.S. information infrastructure, Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn, who is leading remedial efforts, wrote last fall in the journal Foreign Affairs.

Joel Brenner, the National Counterintelligence executive from 2006 to 2009, said most if not all of the big defense contractors' networks had been pierced.

"This has been happening since the late '90s," he told Reuters Tuesday. He identified the main threats as coming from Russia, China and Iran.

"They're after our weapons systems and R&D," or research and development, said Brenner, now with the law firm of Cooley LLP in Washington.

Lockheed Martin Corp, the Pentagon's No. 1 supplier by sales, said on Saturday that it had thwarted "a significant and tenacious" attack on its information systems network that it detected May 21. Ten days later, the company says its still working to restore full employee access to the network while maintaining the highest level of security.

Lockheed, which is also the government's top information technology provider, said it had become "a frequent target of adversaries from around the world." A spokeswoman said it said it used the term "adversaries" only in a general sense.

Lockheed builds F-16, F-22 and F-35 fighter jets as well as Aegis naval combat system, THAAD missile defense and other big-ticket weapons systems sold to U.S. allies. It has not disclosed which of its business units was targeted.

[April Lexington]

America needs a conservative revolution before it is too late... And, its getting to be too late...

[Crim]

Gee...who didnt see this coming...

Yeah..the chi-coms came up with a stealh fighter all on their own that looks like an F22...

Sure they did...

[mmercier]

It is quite possible that the “stolen” data is a known quantity to those who allowed it to be taken. These operations are inimical to the enemy, and quite intended beforehand.

When an enemy party relies on information obtained from their enemy, they become more vulnerable to compromise than if they just stuck with their own technology.

If they know what you know, then you know what they know. Specificity of intelligence gathering by a potential enemy further narrows the window, and allows focus on point.

We never give away anything that's not obsolete.