UK, US And Canada Accuse Russia Of Trying To Steal Covid-19 Research

CNN: UK, US and Canada allege Russian cyberattacks on Covid-19 research centers

(CNN)Russian cyber actors are targeting organizations involved in coronavirus vaccine development, according to a new warning by US, UK and Canadian security officials on Thursday that details activity by a Russian hacking group called APT29, which also goes by the name "the Dukes" or "Cozy Bear."

An advisory published by the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) details activity by the Russian hacking group and explicitly calls out efforts to target US, UK and Canadian vaccine research and development organizations.

"APT29's campaign of malicious activity is ongoing, predominantly against government, diplomatic, think tank, healthcare and energy targets to steal valuable intellectual property," a press release on the advisory said.

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More News On the UK, US And Canada Accusing Russia Of Trying To Steal Covid-19 Research

UK, US, Canada accuse Russia of hacking virus vaccine trials -- AP
Russia trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine data, say UK, U.S. and Canada -- Reuters
Coronavirus: Russian spies target Covid-19 vaccine research -- BBC
Russian state-sponsored hackers target Covid-19 vaccine researchers -- The Guardian
Canada, U.S., U.K. allege Russian-backed group tried to steal COVID-19 vaccine research -- CTV News
UK Accuses Russia-Backed Hackers Of Trying To Steal COVID-19 Vaccine Research -- Zero Hedge
Russian hackers have been accused of targeting Covid-19 vaccine researchers -- MIT Technology Review

Report Says China's Military Cyber Groups Are Hijacking Diplomatic Communication Channels To Target Specific Computers In Certain Ministries

Forbes: Chinese Military Cyber Spies Just Caught Crossing A ‘Very Dangerous’ New Line

“This is the most extensive operation we have ever reported by a Chinese APT group,” the cyber researchers at Check Point told me, warning just how “targeted and sophisticated” this five-year campaign had been. Multiple overseas governments have been compromised by this threat group’s cyber weapons, and those government systems have been used to attack other countries.

The military espionage group’s tactics, described by Check Point as “very dangerous,” involved hijacking diplomatic communication channels to target specific computers in particular ministries. The malware-laced communications might be sent from an overseas embassy to ministries in its home country, or to government entities in its host country. “The group has introduced a new cyber weapon crafted to gather intelligence on a wide scale, but also to follow intelligence officers directives to look for a specific filename on a specific machine.”

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WNU Editor: This is definitely crossing a diplomatic red line .... “penetrating diplomats’ PCs and taking over ministerial servers.

More News On Claims That China's Military Cyber Groups Are Hijacking Diplomatic Communication Channels

This Asia-Pacific Cyber Espionage Campaign Went Undetected for 5 Years -- Hacker News
A Chinese hacking group is reportedly targeting governments across Asia -- Endgadget
China’s Military Is Tied to Debilitating New Cyberattack Tool -- Jimmy's Post
Naikon APT Hid Five-Year Espionage Attack Under Radar -- Threat Post
New cybersecurity report says China-based group is hacking Asia-Pacific governments -- CNBC

Chinese Government Hackers Have Successfully Stolen Massive Amounts Of Highly Sensitive Data On U.S. Submarine Warfare

Tyrone Siu/Reuters

Chicago Tribune/Washington Post: China hacked a Navy contractor and secured a trove of highly sensitive data on submarine warfare

Chinese government hackers have compromised the computers of a Navy contractor, stealing massive amounts of highly sensitive data related to undersea warfare — including secret plans to develop a supersonic anti-ship missile for use on U.S. submarines by 2020, according to American officials.

The breaches occurred in January and February, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. The hackers targeted a contractor who works for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, a military organization headquartered in Newport, R.I., that conducts research and development for submarines and underwater weaponry.

The officials did not identify the contractor.

Taken were 614 gigabytes of material relating to a closely held project known as Sea Dragon, as well as signals and sensor data, submarine radio room information relating to cryptographic systems, and the Navy submarine development unit’s electronic warfare library.
The Washington Post agreed to withhold certain details about the compromised missile project at the request of the Navy, which argued that their release could harm national security.

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Update #1: Chinese government hackers stole sensitive U.S. Navy undersea warfare plans: WashPost (Reuters)
Update #2: Chinese hackers stole sensitive data from Navy contractor: report (Reuters)

WNU editor: This is as bad as it can get.

U.S. Indicts Three Chinese Hackers For Conducting Cyber Attacks Against American Companies

Washington Free Beacon: U.S. Indicts Three Chinese Hackers Linked to Security Firm

Boyusec hackers stole hundreds of gigabytes of energy and GPS technology

The Justice Department charged three Chinese hackers on Monday with conducting cyber attacks against U.S. and international financial and technology firms and stealing confidential business information.

The three hackers, Chinese nationals Wu Yingzhuo, Dong Hao, and Xia Lei, all worked for a Chinese cyber security firm called Boyusec that the Pentagon has linked to the Ministry of State Security, the civilian intelligence service.

The three men were charged with coordinated cyber attacks against computer networks at Moody's Analytics, Siemans AG, and Trimble Inc.

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WNU Editor: When I read stories like this one .... I cannot help but believe that it is just the tip of the iceberg.

The Chinese Are Becoming Very Good At Stealing U.S. Military Secrets

Next Big Future: US Congressional report warns that China is getting even better at stealing US military technology and secrets

US intelligence agencies determined that several years ago China stole secrets relating to the F-35 jet fighter from a US contractor. The design secrets were detected in China’s new J-20 stealth fighter and the J-31.

The stolen secrets included details of the F-35’s electro-optical targeting system, radar-absorbing coatings and engine nozzles.

Taiwan remains a major spying target of China and, since 2002, 56 Chinese agents have been arrested there after being caught obtaining sensitive information, including about US technology shared with Taipei.

“In recent years, Chinese agents have extracted data on some of the most advanced weapons and weapons systems in the US arsenal, such as jet fighters and unmanned submersible vehicles,” states the annual report of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, released on November 16.

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WNU Editor: If I was 25 years old .... my occupation/business will be cyber-security .... because it is clear that no one in the U.S. government is doing a good job at stopping it.

Another U.S. Computer Network Handling Encrypted Government Communications Has Been Compromised

CNN: First on CNN: Newly discovered hack has U.S. fearing foreign infiltration

Washington (CNN)A major breach at computer network company Juniper Networks has U.S. officials worried that hackers working for a foreign government were able to spy on the encrypted communications of the U.S. government and private companies for the past three years.

The FBI is investigating the breach, which involved hackers installing a back door on computer equipment, U.S. officials told CNN. Juniper disclosed the issue Thursday along with an emergency security patch that it urged customers to use to update their systems "with the highest priority."

The concern, U.S. officials said, is that sophisticated hackers who compromised the equipment could use their access to get into any company or government agency that used it.

One U.S. official described it as akin to "stealing a master key to get into any government building."

Update: The FBI is investigating Juniper's big, embarrassing security hole (Business Insider).

WNU Editor: Here we go again.

Who Is Winning The Cyber Espionage War?

Who's Ahead In Cyber Espionage War Between U.S., China? -- Defense Systems

Report says accelerated 'Byzantine Hades' attacks on U.S. systems appear to have given China the lead.

That China and the United States are engaged in cyber espionage isn’t exactly a secret, even if the details of the game aren’t usually public. But the pace has picked up in recent years and security experts say China may have taken the upper hand, according to a report by Reuters.

Brian Grow and Mark Hosenball write that China has stolen terabytes of sensitive U.S. data as part of a campaign of attacks that are accelerating. The stolen information includes usernames and passwords for State Department computers and designs for multi-billion dollar weapons systems, the authors write.

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More News On Who Is Ahead In the Cyber Espionage War

Welcome to the new Cold War: China vs. the United States -- ZDNet
Report: Chinese Far Outstrip U.S. Cyber-Spy Fight for Military, Business Secrets -- PC World
SPECIAL REPORT-In cyberspy vs. cyberspy, China has the edge -- Reuters
Report Describes Far-Flung Chinese Cyber Espionage Against U.S. Government -- Threat Post
China Leads U.S. in Cyber Spying -- AllGov
China's legions of hackers a growing threat -- 3News
Leaked US cables finger Chinese army hackers for cyber-spying -- The Register
Growing Global Threat From Chinese Cyber Hackers -- FOX News
Is China winning the cyber war? -- Federal Computing
China Accelerates Cyber Attacks, Espionage -- New American