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Posted on 03/29/2009 3:25:42 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A mystery electronic spy network apparently based in China has infiltrated hundreds of computers around the world and stolen files and documents, Canadian researchers have revealed.
The network, dubbed GhostNet, appears to target embassies, media groups, NGOs, international organisations, government foreign ministries and the offices of the Dalai Lama, leader of the Tibetan exile movement. The researchers, based at Toronto University's Munk Centre for International Studies, said their discovery had profound implications.
"This report serves as a wake-up call... these are major disruptive capabilities that the professional information security community, as well as policymakers, need to come to terms with rapidly," said researchers Ron Deibert and Rafal Rohozinski.
After 10 months of study, the researchers concluded that GhostNet had invaded 1,295 computers in 103 countries, but it appeared to be most focused on countries in south Asia and south-east Asia, as well as the Dalai Lama's offices in India, Brussels, London and New York. The network continues to infiltrate dozens of new computers each week.
Such a pattern, and the fact that the network seemed to be controlled from computers inside China, could suggest that GhostNet was set up or linked to Chinese government espionage agencies. However, the researchers were clear that they had not been able to identify who was behind the network, and said it could be run by private citizens in China or a different country altogether. A Chinese government spokesmen has denied any official involvement.
GhostNet can invade a computer over the internet and penetrate and steal secret files. It can also turn on the cameras and microphones of an infected computer, effectively creating a bug that can monitor what is going inside the room where the computer is.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
A year or two ago I noticed a single china (*.cn) IP address scanning my system, and it was annoying so I fired up Nessus and scanned him back in full attack mode.
It wasn’t more than a minute or two later before I was being scanned by more than 5 IPs from china (*.cn), and another couple coming through an Aussie provider.
Another minute or two passed and I decided to completely disconnect from the internet, since the scans were coming fast and furious.
Not too long after, I reconnected and everything was OK.
But anyone who watches the outside interface of their broadband connection knows that it’s a dangerous world out there, and the baddies are always checking your front door.
Including the Chinese.
For a while my McAfee account would let me know who was attempting to scan my computer and if I wanted to trace where they came from. For some reason it quit letting me do it.
Anyway at times I would be attacked by as many as 20 attempts per second which is probably all my dial-up connection would allow. They came from all over the world but I noticed a very high percentage came from the same city in China. Actually a city I had never heard of.
Most people do not realize that the scanning and attack attempts are ongoing and incessant and happen 7x24x365 nonstop.
It has repeatedly been demonstrated by security researchers (e.g., the Honeynet project) that an unprotected Windows system will be successfully compromised (aka “owned” or completely taken over) by some random attacker within 30 minutes of being connected to the Internet.
Not “maybe”. Not “might”.
“Will be”.
They've poisoned half their water and are looking for options.
ESPECIALLY THE CHINESE!!! (and the Russians)
DD-WRT firmware...
The Chinese are reliable crooks...good folks to be in charge of the new world reserve currency...
I just remembered the Chinese city from which all the computer break-in attempts came from is Harbin. I doubt that is real espionage as they probably would hide the origin of real spy attempts.
Wow!!
Perfect way to introduce hardware that has built in backdoors.
We have the Clinton Administration to thank.
I'm sure American agencies are no less enthusiastic about hacking the computers of our enemies.
“I’m sure American agencies are no less enthusiastic about hacking the computers of our enemies.”
We are. I’ll leave it at that.
Ping...
http://www.wimp.com/thegovernment
This is a very good 10 minute video on where our country is going. It discusses the different types of governments in the world. This is not political. Both parties are responsible for the shift in the type of government that represents us. Can WE stop that shift.
Never saw this before...it should be passed on...
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