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US Chamber of Commerce Infiltrated By Chinese Hackers

Posted by Unknown on from the security-through-insecurity dept.

SpzToid writes "The Wall Street Journal is now reporting that a group of hackers in China breached the computer defenses of the United States Chamber of Commerce. The intrusion was quietly shut down in May 2010, while FBI investigations continue. 'A spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Geng Shuang, said cyberattacks are prohibited by Chinese law and China itself is a victim of attacks. ... Still, the Chamber continues to see suspicious activity, they say. A thermostat at a town house the Chamber owns on Capitol Hill at one point was communicating with an Internet address in China, they say, and, in March, a printer used by Chamber executives spontaneously started printing pages with Chinese characters.'" According the article, the group "gained access to everything stored on its systems" and may have "had access to the network for more than a year before the breach was uncovered."

6 of 173 comments (clear)

  1. I don't see the problem by overshoot · · Score: 3, Informative

    The US Chamber of Commerce is a lobbying organization -- it's not like they have Industrial Super Secrets. Besides, a high proportion of their clients are Chinese anyway and presumably have pretty good access to the organization already.

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    Lacking <sarcasm> tags, /. substitutes moderation as "Troll."
  2. "US Chamber" of Commerce by lexman098 · · Score: 5, Informative

    I'd just like to take this opportunity to point out how insidious it is to purposely label a highly partisan think tank with a name that is obviously meant to seem like a legit government agency.

    1. Re:"US Chamber" of Commerce by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      I'm sorry I don't have mod points today or you would get a +1 informative from me. Most non-Americans don't know that small "detail".

    2. Re:"US Chamber" of Commerce by JWW · · Score: 3, Informative

      Legit government agency?

      Most cities of any reasonable size at all have Chamber of Commerce organizations. These are always made up of groups of businesses that belong to the private Chamber organization. Sure they work with government in their municipalities, but they are private organizations.

      The name US Chamber of Commerce strikes me as being a national incarnation of the local concept. As such, I don't think its name construes that its a government group.

  3. Chamer of Commerce isn't a GOVERNMENT agency by tekrat · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's a lobbying group for businesses. Therefore, the Chinese can hack away all they want with my blessing. No harm done.

    In fact, considering the harm brought onto US citizens by the Chamber of Commerce, the more damage done to them by the Chinese, the better it is for American citizens.

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    If telephones are outlawed, then only outlaws will have telephones.
  4. Chamber of Commerce Smear Campaign King and Irony by FriendlyLurker · · Score: 5, Informative

    The US Chamber of Commerce is a lobbying organization -- it's not like they have Industrial Super Secrets. Besides, a high proportion of their clients are Chinese anyway and presumably have pretty good access to the organization already.

    True, The Chamber Of commerce also hacks anyone who criticizes their illegal and immoral behaviour. HBGary Federal payback perhaps?