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New Chinese Intelligence Unit Linked to Massive Cyber Spying Program
Washington Beacon ^ | October 31, 2014 | Bill Gertz

Posted on 10/31/2014 7:43:50 AM PDT by lbryce

A Chinese intelligence unit carried out a massive cyber espionage program that stole vast quantities of data from governments, businesses and other organizations, security analysts who uncovered the operation said Thursday.

The activities of the Chinese unit called the Axiom group began at least six years ago and were uncovered by a coalition of security firms this month.

Cyber sleuths traced Axiom attacks to the 2009 cyber operation against Google in China and other U.S. companies known as Operation Aurora. The group was also linked to a Chinese hacking program that targeted dissidents and opposition groups known as GhostNet. More recent Axiom attacks took place against Japan, the U.S. Veterans of Foreign Wars, and U.S. think tanks.

In the past two weeks, 43,000 computer networks at nearly 1,000 organizations were cleaned of multiple types of cyber espionage spyware from Axiom cyber spies, including 180 highly sophisticated computer penetrations at key Chinese targets that employed a program called Hikit that specializes in automated data theft.

(Excerpt) Read more at freebeacon.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; Japan; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: axiomgroup; china; chinese; cyberattacks; cyberwarfare; espionage; japan; spyware; whatelseisnew
Seeing that they have all these US Govt T-Bills, I propose to declare the financial obligation on them having been fulfilled in exchange for goods and services received (illegally.)
1 posted on 10/31/2014 7:43:50 AM PDT by lbryce
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To: lbryce

The activities of the Chinese unit called the Axiom group began at least six years ago

Six years ago? Why does that date seem to stick in
my memory...


2 posted on 10/31/2014 7:46:48 AM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: lbryce

Heck, we were all talking about this here at FR years ago. It’s old news, but apparently Uncle Sam is now just catching up (as usual)


3 posted on 10/31/2014 8:07:11 AM PDT by Timber Rattler (Just say NO! to RINOS and the GOP-E)
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To: lbryce

A large number of Chinese that are over here working for U.S. computer and data companies and IT companies and aerospace companies are Chinese Military Intelligence. They stated to come over here in droves during the Clinton administration.


4 posted on 10/31/2014 8:07:35 AM PDT by ought-six ( Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
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To: ought-six

Clinton and Algore had to pay off those campaign donations one way or another. Remember the Buddhist monks that mysteriously came up with so much money?


5 posted on 10/31/2014 8:23:12 AM PDT by Pecos (That government governs best which governs least.)
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To: lbryce

my proposal is to mix into all of our databases deliberatley bad info/intel, flawed design schematics, phony data etc... that way whenever they steal vast swaths of info from various organizations theyd get a mix of good and bad info. after attempting to utilize something they stole, it would ultimately not pan out for them and would wind up making the whole effort futile. the next time they stole info they would never know if what they were looking at was any good or not. of course we’d have to do it in a way that we could identify/segregate “good” files from “bad” ones but i think something like this could be done.

I got the idea from an episode of “the Americans”. in it the CIA planted phony submarine popeller desings knowing the soviets would attempt to steal them during a plant relocation. they did. and of course the soviets implemented the design without thoroughly testing....lost a sub with all on board.


6 posted on 10/31/2014 8:24:47 AM PDT by Shamrock498
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To: Shamrock498

I’m no intelligence and espionage whiz but if I had a hand in things theft of secrets, I would seed bad data and bogus specs too.

Great plot for that episode, I will watch that series at some point.


7 posted on 10/31/2014 8:37:18 AM PDT by wally_bert (There are no winners in a game of losers. I'm Tommy Joyce, welcome to the Oriental Lounge.)
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To: wally_bert

its a pretty good show. a lot of it is about the relationship of the spies themselves (sham marriage trying to make it work blah blah) but i love the subject matter and the time period.


8 posted on 10/31/2014 9:48:51 AM PDT by Shamrock498
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To: lbryce


9 posted on 10/31/2014 9:54:09 AM PDT by Brother Cracker (You are more likely to find krugerrands in a Cracker Jack box than 22 ammo at Wal-Mart)
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To: lbryce

Yikes!


10 posted on 10/31/2014 10:34:51 AM PDT by StoneWall Brigade (Howard Phillips Conservative)
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To: Brother Cracker

#9 They are trying to decipher Windows 8
This will keep them busy as they will never figure out how to use it.


11 posted on 10/31/2014 11:14:16 AM PDT by minnesota_bound
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To: minnesota_bound

As I recall, in the push to enter the Chinese market, China demanded MS give them their Win source code ... MS complied.

As a result, government computers run a home made OS, not any version of Win.

US computers running any version of MS or any of their products are easy pickings for the PLA.


12 posted on 10/31/2014 12:00:31 PM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now it is your turn ...)
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