NEW COLD WAR

Chinese Army Hackers Targeted US Infrastructure

One alleged target has access to 60% of US oil and gas pipelines

Feb 19, 2013 by Mary Noble

Senior Editor t +

Image: NBC

A group of Chinese hackers known as the "Comment Crew" has started targeting major US infrastructure, claims this morning's lead New York Times story. Known targets include Telvent, a company with remote access to over 60% of America's oil and gas pipelines.

More worryingly, the hackers have been linked to China's military, since some of their IP addresses are based in the same small neighborhood as a Chinese army base, Unit 61398. Evidence reviewed by the Times "leaves little doubt that an overwhelming percentage of the attacks on American corporations, organizations and government agencies originate in and around" the main building of the army unit's headquarters.

The US government will step up security against Chinese hackers as of today, according to the Times. But the government is reluctant to comment on ties between hackers and China's army for fear of creating a diplomatic crisis.

"In the cold war, we were focused every day on the nuclear command centers around Moscow," a senior defense official told the Times. "Today, it's fair to say that we worry as much about the computer servers in Shanghai." Via NYTimes.

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56 Comments (view in Forum)

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Feb '13

S-N-A-F-U

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My banker wanted me to consider doing on-line banking. My reply to him was: If 'hackers' can break into the Pentagon Secret files, why would I consider such an asinine proposal?
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u
Feb '13

culinary

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Anybody breaking into my bank account would be a sad, sad individual after they got finished :)
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u
Feb '13

DrMoonshine

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@culinary Yes, because someone is going to waste their military-level resources to get your savings account.
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Feb '13

culinary

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@DrMoonshine I was responding to SNAFU with a little humorous sarcasm. Lighten up a little. Jeez!!
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u
Feb '13

S-N-A-F-U

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Forget the Chinese for a moment, It was a Brit that hacked into the pentagon Secret files early on. 'Hackers' are not stupid - some are in the class of a Steve Job for 'moxie.' If man can construct a sophisticated system, there will always another that can break into it.....
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@S-N-A-F-U Post
Feb '13

Dan_Tien

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Because online banking is convenient and not using it is no guarantee that your account is safe. Everything needed to crack your account is on your checks.
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@Dan_Tien Post
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u
Feb '13

culinary

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The convenience of online business makes it a huge sell. But like anything, it has its downfalls. I don't think it will be going anywhere soon.
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Feb '13

Dan_Tien

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Time to implement reactive firewalls that not only block intrusion attempts but backtrack the cracker trying to break through and fry their equipment.
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Feb '13

Ellinion

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Congratulations, you got the job as head of security!
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u
Feb '13

mtkopf

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Could you do the same thing for telemarketers?
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@mtkopf Post
Feb '13

jaybebo84

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@mtkopf

Now that is funny right there...doesn't matter who you are...just damn funny...:-)
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@jaybebo84 Post
Feb '13

PoliticalSpice

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@mtkopf Indeed, they should ppractice first on telemarketers, perfect the attacks before turning em on chinas military tele- computer net works!
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@PoliticalSpice Post
Feb '13

marine1

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With a greedy balless goverment like we have, rest assured it will get a lot worse.
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@marine1 Post
o
Feb '13

NTBFW

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One of these days we are going to have china to deal with.
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Feb '13

PoliticalSpice

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One of these days? Read the full article, at this rate when the time comes we will be too busy dealing with havoc to deal with china. Dealing with China is all the more difficult because of debt Bush incurred with the war. That started our massive debt with them. As to the computer thing, that needs be dealt with now, and not just defensivelly but through computer attacks aimmed at bringing their computer systems down. Several major wipeouts of computers in various sectors of chinese economy and military will nip this situation in the bud.
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@PoliticalSpice Post
Feb '13

martydotcom

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great GOP thinking too expensive for corps to secure their data
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57485404-83/...
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@martydotcom Post
Feb '13

MadAmerican

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And Obama said in his re election campaign that China would be punished if they broke trade laws, but I guess he's not worried about them in this department. I guess golf with Tiger was more important.
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Feb '13

Food4thoughts

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How do you suggest he should "punish" china? Lol
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@Food4thoughts Post
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Feb '13

callmecrazy

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@Food4thoughts Oh that's easy, slap an import tax so high on everything made in China that it offsets their cheap labor cost and pushes American companies and their money out of China. They lose our corporation dollars and our consumer dollars at the same time. Of course Wal-Mart wouldn't approve...
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@callmecrazy Post
Feb '13

Penn1699

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Hmmm. Interesting piece in The Guardian. http://www.washingtonguardian.com/quickreads/...
Wonder how much of this story is propaganda?
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@Penn1699 Post
Feb '13

Penn1699

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@callmecrazy Wall Street has purchased both major political parties.
Hmmmm. What to do?
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Feb '13

DrNickels

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I was no Romney fan, but the guy had a brilliant point in I think it was the 3rd debate.

He wanted to increase trade and manufacturing in Latin America and he wanted to re-evaluate and re-negotiate trade options with china and Obama said it would never happen. Romney quickly informed him that we are one of the largest purchasers of Chinese goods. If we stop buying and start buying from Latin America which would be cheaper shipping costs then we would take the Chinese down a peg or two very quickly. Also if we put more jobs in Latin America then less Latin Americans would end up here as illegals. It's a win win situation.
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@DrNickels Post
Feb '13

JoeJared

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How many lies are the people of America going to buy into? Look at this year's NDAA. The government is already planning a war with China and are looking for ways to sell their used cow food to you. This is nothing more than a propaganda piece.
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Feb '13

VVP

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But yet from the communistic country of China, we in the US will defend China over and over and over again because we are terrified of Wal-mart collapsing and having to go back to manufacturing work again.

We need to slay the dragon before it eats our princess instead of looking in every other castle. These people are not our friends.
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u
Feb '13

Hireman

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Instead of stepping up security, end the problem. Declare cyberattacks an act of war.
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Feb '13

miketost

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Its possible the Chinese government leaders can see,when our leaders cant America is going broke.Think of China as a huge pawn shop and America the poor borrower.They are just looking for collateral when we have no money to re-pay.
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Feb '13

PoliticalSpice

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Wrong, they are anticipating we will have no money to repay. That is what they want. And Bush started this with the borrowing to pay for war.
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@PoliticalSpice Post
Feb '13

miketost

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@PoliticalSpice lol and Barry blasted him for that.He said it was un-patriotic to raise such debt.MMMMMM under barry we know owe 16 trillion but you accept that increase because the king is now in charge and responsible for our growing debt.Get real its been 5 years of this jerk.
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Feb '13

PoliticalSpice

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@miketost Time for you to get real. This jerk has kicked republican butt twice at the polls. Don't like the way things are going, take the advice of your last presidential candidate and sel deport...
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@PoliticalSpice Post
Feb '13

MrGreenHerb

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R.I.P. America :(
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@MrGreenHerb Post
Feb '13

methinks

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Well, if it's found out to be 100% factual that the Chicoms are hacking, we just stop paying our debt to the Chinese. Freeze all Chinese held assets in this country. That would send their economy into a tailspin.
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Feb '13

DrFunkenstein

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just like our electrical system, ALL of our government systems should be hacker proof. This is a disgrace.
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Feb '13

DerivePI

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It is very nice of them to point out weaknesses in our data security systems. I wonder if we've pointed weaknesses in theirs?
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Feb '13

AntiPorcheria

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LOL! If we have "pilots" flying drones in real time under secured transmission all the way on the other side of the planet, don't you think our government has hackers meddling with the cyber-infrastructure of our enemies and those WE wish to control?
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@AntiPorcheria Post
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Feb '13

Libertyiskey

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@AntiBullshit I fear our government has too much control. But I also know that China has the worlds smartest or fastest super computer and hacked into our satellite system last year. I fear China can one day use our drone system against us through hacking. But maybe I just need to get some tin foil to cover my head with.
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@Libertyiskey Post
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Feb '13

Libertyiskey

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Sounds like they're trying to get Anonymous to join the government and use their hacking powers on the Chinese.
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Feb '13

Fishbone345

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I was gonna say that. Heh.
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@Fishbone345 Post
Feb '13

Fishbone345

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@Fishbone345 Considering the issues Anon has given other organizations, they are more than capable of being recruited. Could be a community service type deal for amnesty.
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@Fishbone345 Post
Feb '13

Fishbone345

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http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/04/10/grandpa-...
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/43584213/ns/us_news...
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@Fishbone345 Post
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Feb '13

Libertyiskey

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@Fishbone345 I've always liked hackers. I feel the Internet is one of the last pastures of freedom and that most hackers are just trying to keep it that way. I tried to look into hacking but my technological skills are just no where near enough. I did make a pong game in a computer class once and that's about as advanced my technical skills will get probably.
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@Libertyiskey Post
Feb '13

stepped_in_it

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Infrastructure hacking = the new nuclear device.....with far less structural damage!
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u
Feb '13

Chromalord

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Not sure how wise it is for Time ( or anyone else) to be reporting on the success of hacking into our systems, IMO it only serves to renew or enforce ( because I loathe the word " embolden") hackers hopes in achieving their goals. Reminds me of Dune: "All that have tried have died"
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Feb '13

zeke

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Just wondering are we hacking them also, and if not why? I say we should become much more agressive with regard to cyber warfare against our so called friends the chinese!
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Feb '13

Buzzfriendly

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Maybe China is trying figure out how to get back all of the money we owe them and is simply using the state run bill collection agency.
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Feb '13

bsking

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It's time for us to do some long range missile testing of our own.
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Feb '13

wonka45ACP

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The US government will step up security against Chinese hackers as of today,
Oh' today we will worry about national security! what were we thinking! might just
Be time we stop Imposing our will on our own citizens, and pay attention the real
problems of this country !!!!
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Feb '13

AlexMIA

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Anybody else on here think we should default on our debt to them over this, or maybe knock a trillion dollars or so off atleast?
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Are you concerned about the threat of Chinese hackers to national security?

Are you concerned about the threat of Chinese hackers to national security?