The Dark Visitor

According to the report, the Chinese hackers used and SQL injection attack that compromised the information of as many as 2,400 users:

The official Web site of the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation was attacked by an overseas hacker and infected with viruses that can lift information from the personal computers of people who access the site, according to JOGMEC.

Hacking of JOGMEC’s Web site took place on several occasions from overseas, mainly from China.

Some observers have said the incident could be linked to gas exploration projects in the East China Sea. In June, shortly before the site was first hacked, Tokyo and Beijing reached their first ever agreement on joint gas-development projects–a major step in the longstanding dispute over the issue.

However, there was notable backlash expressed online from Chinese people who complained the agreement gave too many concessions to Japan. Harsh criticism of the Japanese government over the projects also was expressed on the bulletin boards and other sites mostly based in China.

From the Dark Visitor dated 2006:

Sectors where the financial interest of the (Red Hacker) alliance and the security interests of the state coincide could present even greater difficulties for outside industries to protect their trade secrets and keep them confidential. Take for example China’s rising energy needs and its worldwide search for energy resources. There are tremendous pressures exerted on the state to sustain the country’s economic momentum moving forward and to do that they must ensure a consistent and steady supply of fuel. The competition to secure finite resources such as oil and natural gas can be quite competitive and the methods to attain them could move far beyond those of traditional market mechanisms. Chinese hackers, working for personal gain, could find a lucrative market in the sale of information related to the petroleum industry and the state may be more inclined to turn a blind eye to the practice if it facilitated expansion of Chinese industrial interests.

Well, our Australian friends are starting to see this happen right now.

Chinese authorities are believed to be seeking information on subjects such as military secrets and the prices Australian companies will seek for resources such as coal and iron ore.

This will not be an isolated incident. Cyber protection of national energy resources needs to take a much higher priority. Look at the long-term needs of the country attacking and the list of targeted information becomes much clearer.