Chinese hackers breach key US weapons designs

The Washington Post is reporting that the designs for many of the U.S.’s “most sensitive advanced weapons systems have been compromised by Chinese hackers.”

While the U.S. has started to increase its pressure on China, it is a dollar short and a day late. Rather than allow state-sponsored hackers to continue to harm U.S. national and economic security, the U.S. needs to take stronger actions to deter future cyber aggression.

The new report by the Defense Science Board lists at least 29 specific weapons system designs that were stolen by hackers. These included several missile defense systems, such as the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, the Terminal High Altitude Aerial Defense, and the Patriot Advanced Capability-3. Aircraft, such as the F-35 and F/A 18 fighter planes, the C-17 cargo plane, and the UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter, were compromised, as were the Navy’s new Littoral Combat Ship and several information and control systems.

According to those familiar with these hacks, the vast majority are part of an ongoing and growing Chinese cyber-espionage campaign to steal U.S. technologies, advance Chinese weapons development, and then turn them against their creators. Earlier this year, the security firm Mandiant also identified a specific bureau of the Chinese military as responsible for stealing huge amounts of data from U.S. companies over the past seven years. Taken together with countless other confirmed and suspected Chinese hacks, clearly the U.S. should do more to stop cyber aggression.

First, the U.S. should continue to name and shame China. This will mean issuing more reports that identify China as a bad cyber actor and then having U.S leaders use this information to call out China in speeches and diplomatic discussions. While the U.S. is starting to actually put the blame on China in some of its reports, our leaders continue to naively treat China as a cyber ally.

In April, the highest-ranking American military officer, chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Martin Dempsey, stated that the U.S. sought “collaboration and transparency” with China, since “cyber threatens our economy and [the Chinese] economy.” U.S. leaders should be pointing the finger at the Chinese instead of inviting them to steal U.S. secrets.

Second, the U.S. should actually take a tougher line on China by ceasing to cooperate with China on cybersecurity. The U.S. should not be engaging in cyber war games and cyber exchanges with the Chinese when they are merely using that information to learn how to do a better job hacking U.S. systems. Continuing to collaborate with China only proves that the U.S. knows about the problem but lacks the will to do anything about it, thus further emboldening China. The U.S. should also consider working with allies to take economic and legal actions against Chinese companies that peddle stolen property.

U.S. military and business secrets are being stolen as part of an extensive cyber campaign by the Chinese to advance their weapons capabilities and economy. The U.S. should stand up to China and make them feel pain when they steal U.S. secrets. Failing to do so would further endanger U.S. national security and economic growth.

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Blueprints of Australia's top spy agency headquarters stolen by Chinese hackers

SECRET and highly sensitive blueprints outlining the layout of Australia's top spy agency's new headquarters have been stolen by Chinese hackers, the ABC says. 

The documents contained details of the ASIO building's floor plans, communication cabling layouts, server locations and security systems, potentially putting the entire organisation at risk, Monday night's Four Corners program alleges.

It is unclear precisely when the alleged theft took place, or if there have been diplomatic ramifications from the embarrassing breach.

But it comes amid deepening concern about widespread, aggressive state-sponsored hacking by China, with further allegations that its cyber spies have recently obtained sensitive Australian military secrets and foreign affairs documents.

Companies including BlueScope Steel and Adelaide-based Codan, which makes radios for military and intelligence agencies, are also said have been targeted by the Chinese, according to the ABC.

The allegation comes just weeks after Canberra softened its stance towards China, claiming in May's Defence White Paper that it no longer saw the rising superpower as a threat.

Aside from the diplomatic implications, the alleged ASIO theft may help explain why its new headquarters, overlooking Canberra's Lake Burley Griffin, is millions over budget and still not operational.
ASIO said in its October annual report that the building would cost taxpayers about $630 million - $41 million more than expected.

It was due to open in April, but staff are yet to move in.

The ABC did not cite the source of its claims, but said the blueprints had been taken from a contractor involved with the project.

"It reeked of an espionage operation. Someone had mounted a cyber hit on a contractor involved in the site," Four Corners reported.

"The plans were traced to a server in China."

Professor Des Ball, from the Australian National University's Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, suggested the theft meant China could bug the building.

"At this stage with construction nearly completed you have two options," he told the ABC.

"One is to accept it and practice utmost sensitivity even within your own headquarters.

"The other, which the Americans had to do with their new embassy in Washington ... was to rip the whole insides out and to start again."

Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus refused to confirm the theft.

Whistleblowers interviewed by Four Corners also allege the Australian defence department's classified email and restricted networks have been hacked.

"A factor of of ten times the entire database, or the entire amount of information stored within the Defence Restricted Network, has been leached out over a number of years," one worker said.

Another whistleblower said a "highly sensitive document" belonging to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade had been stolen by China.

"It's a project that would give an adversary a significant advantage when dealing with Australia," the source told the ABC about the DFAT document.

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