Japan defence firm Mitsubishi Heavy in cyber attack

R

RedMeat

BBC News - Japan defence firm Mitsubishi Heavy in cyber attack

Japan's top weapons maker has confirmed it was the victim of a cyber attack reportedly targeting data on missiles, submarines and nuclear power plants.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) said viruses were found on more than 80 of its servers and computers last month.

But the firm said it has not detected any leaks of sensitive information.

Japan's defence ministry has demanded MHI carry out a full investigation. Officials were angered after learning of the breach from local media reports.

All government contractors are obliged to inform ministers promptly of any breach of sensitive or classified information.

"It's up to the defence ministry to decide whether or not the information is important. That is not for Mitsubishi Heavy to decide. A report should have been made," a defence ministry spokesman was quoted by Reuters as saying.
Better protection

The online attacks - which are believed to be the first of their kind against Japan's defence industry - originated outside the company's computer network, MHI said.

They have been described as "spear attacks" - when hackers send highly customised and specifically targeted messages aimed at tricking people into visiting a fake webpage and giving away login details.

MHI has confirmed its servers and computers have been infected by at least eight viruses.

The viruses targeted a shipyard in Nagasaki, where destroyers are built, and a facility in Kobe that manufactures submarines and parts for nuclear power stations, public broadcaster NHK reported.

A plant in Nagoya, where the company designs and builds guidance and propulsion systems for rockets and missiles, was also reportedly compromised.

MHI said it had consulted the Tokyo police department and was carrying out an investigation alongside security experts, which should be concluded by the end of the month.

A second defence contractor, which supplies engine parts for military aircraft, said it had also been targeted.

IHI said it had been receiving emails containing viruses for months, but its security systems had prevented infection.

There are also reports that Japanese government websites, including the cabinet office and a video distribution service, have been hit by denial-of-service attacks.

Last month, a Japanese defence white paper urged better protection against cyber attacks after US defence contractors were hit by a spate of assaults.
Click to expand...

Should've used 'Fortify'.
 
Last edited:
The spy game isn't fun anymore...

The Nerd spy sitting hiding behind his 52 proxies is just not as glamorous as those of the early 50's, give me an old fashioned go getter where they dressed up and actually go out, sneak in and, steal the plans.


:spineyes:
 
penpaper.jpg


Spear attack this with ur filthy virus messages
 
They have been described as "spear attacks" - when hackers send highly customised and specifically targeted messages aimed at tricking people into visiting a fake webpage and giving away login details.
Click to expand...

I don't get why this kind of "hack" is so successful.

I mean, I kinda do... people are freaking stupid. But this kind of social engineering/spoofing trick isn't old. No one has caught on? Seriously?

:picard:
 
People are just dumb. That type of attack will continue to thrive as long as there are stupid people alive.

Hacked by Chinese, for serious.
 
Yeah people really are in their own world of dumb. If you can spoof a login page, lot of people wont bother to look at the URL
 
why does the government care

the defense of sensitive corporate information should be left to the shareholders and their board
 
Does evidence of hacks against a govt. institution, by a foreign country (not necessarily by the government of that foreign country), constitute an act of war?
 
Japanese talk like retards when you hear Japanese translated with english grammar in your head they really talk like 'I phone you' instead of im calling you or ' i fish eat' explaining they are eating fish
 
Last edited:
Putrid said:
The spy game isn't fun anymore...

The Nerd spy sitting hiding behind his 52 proxies is just not as glamorous as those of the early 50's, give me an old fashioned go getter where they dressed up and actually go out, sneak in and, steal the plans.


:spineyes:
Click to expand...

did this ever actually happen? wouldn't cultivating assets then getting those assets to acquire what you need for you be more status quo for old school spooks?
 
Spear phishing attacks can be very sophisticated.

Say you get into somebody's network with access to one AD user and their machine. You have their AD user list. You know there are 10 people listed as executives.

You set up a fake webserver on the employee's machine, that looks just like the intranet of the company. You send an email to all 10 executives individually telling them you are from IT and you need them to go to that site and...set a meeting time or something. They will go to it and they will see an intranet site, asking them to login with their AD credentials. They think nothing, they have to use those credentials 10 times a day. They completely forget about it 10 minutes later.
 
Jungle Fish said:
Japanese talk like retards when you hear Japanese translated with english grammar in your head they really talk like 'I phone you' instead of im calling you or ' i fish eat' explaining they are eating fish
Click to expand...

thats how many languages work, german is similar. theres no reason to suggest one is superior to another and if anything, american english is more redundant and spoiled by slang than others.
 
I REALLY want to know what western govts are doing against the Chinese? You know those chinks arent going to give up the ghost on any incursions within their nets. It'll be decades before this potential shadow war is uncovered/released.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top