[ insider_reports_insider ]
Chinese Hackers Target Foreign Media
Doug Caverly
Staff Writer
2009-09-22
 Insider Reports RSS Feed
Under normal circumstances, the media isn't really supposed to involve itself in a story. Reporters don't join protests in Washington; embedded journalists don't shoot insurgents in Iraq. Some news organizations with branches in China aren't being given much of a choice, however, as they're the targets of fresh cyberattacks.
 | | Chinese Hackers Target Foreign Media |  |
Reuters reported earlier today, "Foreign media in China have been targeted by emails laden with malicious computer software in attacks that appear to be tied to the run-up to the National Day military parade on October 1."
Agence France Presse, Ansa, Dow Jones, Reuters, and the Straits Times have all received the malware-bearing emails so far. It's a good bet that the pace and reach of the attacks will get stepped up as we draw closer to the first day of October.
The emails are particularly tricky since they sometimes come from spoofed email addresses and contain copied-and-pasted messages from legitimate groups. The attachments are the only unusual (and dangerous) part.
Anyway, the National Day military parade will mark the 60th anniversary of the Communist's party rule in China, so the attacks fit an established pattern of Chinese figures trying to silence potential critics. The big - and as-of-yet-unanswered - question is whether the hackers are acting independently or have some form of government support.
About the Author:
Doug is a staff writer for SecurityProNews, InternetFinancialNews, SearchNewz, and WebProNews.
More insider_reports_insider Articles
Insider Reports RSS Feed
|
|
iEntry 10th Anniversary
RSS
Archive
