Posted on 12/02/2007 6:32:14 PM PST by Enchante
LONDON (AFP) - Chinese-backed computer hackers attacked the internal computer network of British airplane engine maker Rolls-Royce, The Times said in its Monday edition.
Citing unidentified security sources, the daily said that while the hackers did not manage to get through to the company's sensitive data, the attack earlier this year "nearly took them (Rolls-Royce) out".
According to The Times, Anglo-Dutch energy company Royal Dutch Shell uncovered a spy ring made up of Chinese nationals at its facilities in Houston, in the United States, also earlier this year.
The two companies declined to comment when contacted by The Times.
"The Chinese -- the People's Liberation Army -- have been up to it for a good while, but it has really come to the fore recently," a security source told the paper.
"They tried to get inside Rolls-Royce -- their IT systems.
"They did not get enough inside, but it was a sufficiently big attack to get very worried. They got to the so-called not very important information before being rooted out."
The Times report comes just days after it emerged that the head of Britain's domestic security service warned business leaders that China has been carrying out state-sponsored espionage against vital parts of the economy.
Jonathan Evans, the director-general of MI5, wrote to 300 chief executives and security heads at banks, accountancy and legal firms, warning them they were under attack from "Chinese state organisations" via the Internet.
Rolls-Royce's computer network was apparently infiltrated remotely, by a specially-designed Trojan horse programme, which allows people to gain unauthorised access to a person's computer.
At Shell, meanwhile, the company reportedly discovered a "special interest group" made up of Chinese nationals who were encouraged to socialise outside of work hours.
According to The Times, however, the group was "a front for recruiting Chinese nationals" whose families were still in China and who were told to help "for the good of the motherland."
"It was a form of threat," the security source told the paper.
"This particular European oil company was made aware and uncovered the spying operation, where the Chinese were put under moral pressure to give information."
ChiCom hacking/spying against UK company ping!!
Trojan program was aimed at stealing data from Rolls-Royce IT computers.......
Img src=http://cars.blogs.ca/images/Rolls_Royce_Phantom_Black_1.jpg">
More like jet engines and gas turbines.
Who wants to bet they’re after designs for jet engines to reverse engineer?
Owned by VW ?
Windoze ?
I think they wanted jet engine designs most of all..... but who knows, in terms of economic espionage a lot of the ChiCom brass may crave developing (i.e., copying) their own domestic versions of Rolls-Royce luxury cars......
This have been going on for years and years.
They always use the same MO. Get into the computers. Steal everything they can, and if caught deny it completely and dare you to do anything about it.
Look for people of Chinese ancestry who have relatives back in China and use those relatives to blackmail them into cooperating.
Of course it was easier for them under Clinton. He was always willing to sell the stuff for a few campaign bucks.
But they are our very good friends and trading partners. This is very disturbing and surprising news. Oh I just noticed its an AFP story so it surely can’t be true.
Ok, off to ingest some lead paint covered toys.
The intent was to avoid reverse engineering.
Possibly.
Maybe they were also after the financial and personal information on Rolls-Royce's customers, who I assume would be the rich AND powerful of the world.
Motives could be theft of funds as well as blackmail of Rolls-Royce customers.
Who here hasn’t yet done their Christmas shopping yet? Let’s get a show of hands: who intends to spend just that little extra time checking their purchases to make sure that “MADE IN CHINA” is NOT on the tag?
/raises hand
I always try to make sure I don’t send any money to that ChiCom slave society and I will intensify my efforts.
BMW
I'm sure you both know this, but just in case there's somebody reading the thread who doesn't - Rolls Royce the aero engine company has no connection whatever with Rolls Royce the (formerly independent, now foreign-owned) luxury car company.
I thought BMW bought RR’s sister...
The lesson is hire Americans
Ooops, I forgot they were independant companies.
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