Hackers stole the corporate password of every New York Times employee. 53 personal computers were accessed, including current and former bureau chiefs in China, David Barboza.
[Marc Frons, Chief Information Officer, New York Times]:
“We brought in the FBI and the FBI said as did AT&T that this had all the hallmarks of hacking by the Chinese military.”
After publishing an article alleging former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s family amassed a multi-billion dollar fortune, the Times received threats from China that there would be consequences, according to Marc Frons.
The Times then noticed suspicious activity and brought it computer security experts from Mandiant. They found at least 40 hacker groups, called advanced persistent hacker units. They were assaulting the Times’ systems. But that’s not all.
[Nick Bennett, Principal Consultant, Mandiant]:
“In the past we’ve also seen them go after specific users that had to do with China, specific documents and other data. Stealing data that was in line with Chinese interests as we saw in the New York Times case.”
That’s how they knew the attacks were coming from China.
The Wall Street Journal also reported on Thursday that Chinese hackers tried access information about its China coverage.
[Marc Frons, Chief Information Officer, New York Times]:
“I think that any media company doing real reporting about government activity, that a government might be embarrassed or fearful of is open to this sort of cyber espionage. And it’s just something we’re all going to have to live with and deal with and figure out. It’s a different world in the sense of the security profile that companies and individuals need to deal with from here on in.”
According to the Associated Press, the Obama administration is currently preparing a new National Intelligence Estimate. It’s a report that will detail the threat of cyber assaults, particularly from China, and how that affects the economy. It’s seen as a sign that the US will take a tougher stance against cyber-attacks from the Chinese regime.