back to article China breaks ceasefire, restarts hacking US government

After a three-month hiatus, Chinese hackers are once again targeting US government sites, according to government officials and the security firm that first uncovered the attacks. "They dialed it back for a little while, though other groups that also wear uniforms didn't even bother to do that," Kevin Mandia, the chief …

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  1. Don Jefe
    Pirate

    Now, Listen Hear

    Prepare to accept representatives from our State Department who will present you with a sternly worded letter advising you in the strongest language guaranteed not to insult or threaten that you should kindly stop hacking our computers. Failing that we will send a second letter but NOT include the bourbon.

    1. Thorne

      Re: Now, Listen Hear

      Don't forget to say please...

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Facepalm

    I don't believe IT ..

    A security company I never heard of says China is hacking US government infrastructure. This coinsides with neo-con propaganda currently being pushed in Washington. In all probability the security company is being financed by the self same neo-cons. A bit like the tea-baggers are a a genuine grass-roots movement and not a front for some billionaires.

    "increasing information sharing" a eufinism for more spying - on us.

    "Mandiant won't say exactly how much it charges, but it's estimated to average around $400 an hour"

    1. Wzrd1 Silver badge

      Re: I don't believe IT ..

      Sorry, but it's a real and ongoing problem. I had to deal with it every day of the week when I was IA for my installation.

      As for information sharing, I never realized that the government letting people and companies know that certain attacks were ongoing and what the signs of those attacks were is now considered spying.

      The vast majority of reports of PRC information warfare attacks are classified at a minimum of SECRET, with more specifics and technical details that are TOP SECRET.

      And I know about those reports firsthand, both from writing some and reading many, many, many others and preventing the SOB's from getting into my network.

    2. danR2
      WTF?

      Re: I don't believe IT ..

      Yes, security companies vector through a top University to target NYT reporters who happen to be exposing a Chinese Premier's billionaire relative clan. And hacking into free Tibet interests. That's Mandiant, alright.

  3. MrDamage Silver badge
    Facepalm

    DAFUQ happened to common sense?

    Microsoft argues releasing the source code for Windows would be a threat to National Security.

    Microsoft gives the source code to China.

    Companies get hacked, and complain that it's China's fault.

    Cisco sends its manufacturing to China.

    Chinese firm starts implementing its own back doors into Cisco routers.

    Companies get hacked, and complain that it's China's fault.

    News just in.

    Man gives very long, sharp knife to a visibly disturbed man who looks like he is hyped up on meth.

    First man gets stabbed numerous times, has wallter and phone stolen.

    Complains that its the meth addicts fault.

    1. Wzrd1 Silver badge

      Re: DAFUQ happened to common sense?

      Please get the Microsoft story straight.

      Microsoft didn't give anything to anyone. Microsoft SOLD the source code to Windows. It did refuse to give the source code to the US Government though.

      After, Microsoft got quite a bit of money from the US Government, though I can neither confirm nor deny that the source code was transferred.

      A lot of PRC attacks are spear phish attacks, believe it or not. Many with malware ridden attachments in an e-mail.

      Then, there was the newly found USB thumb drive in a US CENTCOM parking lot...

      And on occasion, they were found to actually hack into a site or ten.

      The majority of attacks were without needing to use the source code to find a way in.

      1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
        Unhappy

        Re: DAFUQ happened to common sense?

        "Microsoft didn't give anything to anyone. Microsoft SOLD the source code to Windows. It did refuse to give the source code to the US Government though."

        The gift that just keeps giving (to the Chinese).

        Cheap at twice the price.

        Which sort of tells you how much concern MS has for any of its customers.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Sweet and Sour

    Don't hack others if you don't like being hacked yourself.

    Whu Flungdung

    1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
      Unhappy

      Re: Sweet and Sour

      "Don't hack others if you don't like being hacked yourself."

      But Stuxnet seemed like a brilliant idea at the time.

      No one would know who did it and the Iranians would be unable to turn it against its developers.

      Didn't work out so well.

  5. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

    NEUKlearer HyperRadioProActive Transparency Outing All Dodgy Modified Programs is Normal Phorm‽

    Admittedly, the US hasn't embraced such attacks for purely economic advantage (that we know about for sure) but the government seems to have had enough with China. … Iain Thomson in San Francisco

    Not for purely economic advantage indeed, Iain Thomson in San Francisco, but it would be naive in the extreme to not imagine that they have been trying and failing spectacularly to achieve and deny such advantage to others, who one would then have to conclude and concede be considerably smarter whenever successful in the field.

    And as inconvenient and unpalatable as that may be to any in the US who would believe that they have any right to globally lead with their economic model, the new normal is most probably that a more intelligent use of it and IT is being beautifully exercised by others with SMARTR Virtual Command and Cyber Control Systems/Global Operating Devices.

    But it is surely not necessarily something to be unduly concerned about, unless of course, one has been and is trying to do something untoward and unpleasant/grossly unfair and inequitable/unintelligent. Then one can imagine all sorts of desperate panic in the rank rank and file and top tier administrative echelons.

    But it be no less than thoroughly well deserved and a wholly natural readjustment.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I have to say if I was in charge of IT security at one of these Government places and I found out our systems had been hacked due to some idiot putting a USB stick they found in the car park into a machine, that person would be getting fired on the spot.

    Utter, utter, stupidity.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Don't they disable all the ports by default ?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        They should, but they obviously don't.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    "2nd Bureau of the People's Liberation Army's General Staff Department's 3rd Department"

    Jeez, no wonder they just called it 61398.

  8. 6 inches long, handle.
    Devil

    Everything is all right, everything is all right...

    Probably also applies to the Chinese hacking team: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwD1ylEjAYg

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Can't have a FEAR based economy without a FEARed enemy and FEARfull populace. China, the new <old> enemy for the internet age.

    THEY will wrest CONTROL back and the sheep will bleat with thankfulness and watch No one has Talent.

  10. Nifty Silver badge
    Stop

    anyone remember Concordski ?

    This is the most likely retaliation - carefully crafted spoof servers with plausible yet dangerous designs in them that will publicly embarrass those who think they can use stolen designs

  11. ColonelClaw
    Mushroom

    Deepest Sympathies

    I must say I am deeply sympathetic towards to Americans. After all, we know that they would never attempt to hack any Chinese servers, don't we?

  12. This post has been deleted by its author

  13. Eduard Coli

    Another tariff

    Perhaps the US should tariff PRC origin goods to the amount that it takes to clean up after and losses?

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