Cyberspace is becoming a new battleground for the US and China, amid growing concerns about Chinese industrial espionage through various types of computer worms, security experts say.
At least one "Trojan horse" program used to steal files from infected computers has been traced to servers in China, providing further evidence that US companies may be targets, say analysts.
Security firms have long been concerned about various types of malicious software used to steal files or passwords. But some newer programs seem designed as a more sophisticated and targeted effort.
Joe Stewart, a researcher with the US security firm Lurhq, said that by reverse-engineering a recent PC worm known as Myfip, he found a clear connection to China.
"All the e-mails we've traced back with this particular attachment came from a single address in China," Stewart told reporters, adding that it was "highly likely" that the program was used for espionage against US high-tech and manufacturing firms.
Stewart said the program appeared to have been originally developed as a way to steal student exam papers and then expanded so that it can now copy many types of documents, including computer-assisted drawings and Microsoft Word files.
Forbes magazine, which first reported the Chinese origin of Myfip, said the worm had been propagating by spam e-mails that activate the program when recipients click on attachments. Forbes said about a dozen versions of Myfip may have been in circulation and used to steal sensitive documents including mechanical designs and circuit board layouts.
Analysts point out that tracking attacks or malicious software can be tricky because the origins can be disguised.
But Marcus Sachs of SRI International, who also directs the industry-academic SANS Internet Storm Center that monitors cyberattacks, said the evidence against China is solid.
"I believe firmly that the Chinese are using tools like Myfip to conduct industrial espionage on the US and other industrial countries that have mature data networks," he told reporters.
Sachs said the latest types of malicious software, or "malware," represent a new strategy by creators of the programs.
"Most of the credit card theft, money laundering and fraud is coming from Russia or former Soviet Union countries," Sachs said.
"The Chinese seem to be a bit more clever in covering their tracks and are more likely conducting covert raids for corporate secrets, rather than chasing money like their Russian organized crime counterparts."
But the techniques may not be limited to industrial espionage. Some analysts say similar malware may be targeting government agencies in a bid to steal other types of secrets.
The online newsletter SecurityFocus said the wave of cyberattacks that hit Britain last month may have been part of an effort to obtain government documents from British and US agencies.
Britain's National Infrastructure Security Coordination Center said last month that a series of trojan-laden e-mail attacks were "targeting UK government and companies," in an apparent "covert gathering and transmitting of commercially or economically valuable information."
The June 16 warning did not specifically mention China but said most of the evidence pointed to computers in "the Far East."
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft