Dec 01 2007
MI5 warns banks of Chinese hackers
Chinese hackers going after banks isn’t exactly unusual but the fact that the director-general of MI5 saw fit to send out a general letter of warning is out of the norm. To me, it suggests that at that time (April), it was considered an imminent and wide-spread threat. Also, it doesn’t warn the banks to double lock the vaults, it identifies the target as “commercially sensitive information”.
Official Response:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-12/04/content_6298214.htm
Jumper,
Doesn’t that just scream, “admit nothing, deny everything, and launch counter-allegations.” The only other front person that has it this good and requires no change in script…Hawaii weather announcer.
For what it’s worth, the MI5’s Threats > Espionage page includes the following:
—
The UK is a high priority espionage target and a number of countries are actively seeking UK information and material to advance their own military, technological, political and economic programmes.
We estimate that at least 20 foreign intelligence services are operating to some degree against UK interests. Of greatest concern are the Russians and Chinese. The number of Russian intelligence officers in London has not fallen since Soviet times.
—
From http://www.mi5.gov.uk/output/Page20.html
No surprise at all.
Another report about the MI5 alert can be read at
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article2980250.ece
That reports appears to give somewhat more detailed information about what was in the MI5-CPNI alert and the background of the alert.
J.D.,
Great having you here! J.D. runs a fantastic security blog over at http://jabolins.livejournal.com/ . I’ve also added him to the new links section in the sidebar.
Later this afternoon I’ll post an intrusion into the UK government that happened in 2005.