Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Contractor Blamed in DHS Data Breaches {China spying}
Washington Post ^ | September 24, 2007 | Ellen Nakashima and Brian Krebs

Posted on 09/24/2007 6:37:24 AM PDT by 3AngelaD

The FBI is investigating a major information technology firm with a $1.7 billion Department of Homeland Security contract after it allegedly failed to detect cyber break-ins traced to a Chinese-language Web site and then tried to cover up its deficiencies, according to congressional investigators.

At the center of the probe is Unisys Corp., a company that in 2002 won a $1 billion deal to build, secure and manage the information technology networks for the Transportation Security Administration and DHS headquarters. In 2005, the company was awarded a $750 million follow-on contract....

As part of the contract, Unisys was to install network-intrusion detection devices on the unclassified computer systems for the TSA and DHS...But according to the House Homeland Security Committee, Unisys's failure to properly install and monitor the devices meant that DHS was not aware for at least three months of cyber-intrusions that began in June 2006...150 DHS computers -- including one in the Office of Procurement Operations, which handles contract data -- were compromised by hackers, who sent an unknown quantity of information to a Chinese-language Web site that appeared to host hacking tools.

The contractor also allegedly falsely certified that the network had been protected to cover up its lax oversight...

The intrusions are disturbing in light of a rash of attacks on government computer systems linked to Chinese servers, Thompson said. Since last year, hackers have penetrated e-mail and other systems at the Defense, State and Commerce departments. Unisys was not providing information-security services in those cases.

National security...say the U.S. government and its contractors are the target of a growing cyber-warfare effort that they suspect is being conducted by the Chinese government and its proxies with the aim of stealing military secrets and accessing the computer networks of the world's only military superpower.

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


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: china; dhs; homelandsecurity; spying; unisys
Chinese declare war. Few notice. Note TSA involvement. And I can't take more than 4 ounces of shampoo in my carry-on luggage.
1 posted on 09/24/2007 6:37:26 AM PDT by 3AngelaD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: 3AngelaD
I swear we're fighting a war with China and Iran but just haven't realized it yet.
2 posted on 09/24/2007 6:41:59 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (The broken wall, the burning roof and tower. And Agamemnon dead.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ClearCase_guy

It should be obvious. But it is not to most of the sheeple.


3 posted on 09/24/2007 6:53:33 AM PDT by ChinaThreat (s)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ChinaThreat

They won’t need to spy if the Clintons get back in.


4 posted on 09/24/2007 7:14:37 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks (Go Hawks !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: ChinaThreat
They won’t need to spy if the Clintons get back in.
5 posted on 09/24/2007 7:15:56 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks (Go Hawks !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson