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Hackers Plundered Israeli Defense Firms That Built 'Iron Dome' Missile Defense
An anonymous reader writes: Brian Krebs reports on information from Columbia, Md.-based threat intelligence firm Cyber Engineering Services Inc. that attackers thought to be operating out of China hacked into the corporate networks of three top Israeli defense technology companies. The attackers were seeking technical documents related to Iron Dome, Israel's air defense system. "IAI was initially breached on April 16, 2012 by a series of specially crafted email phishing attacks. ... Once inside the IAI’s network, [the attackers] spent the next four months in 2012 using their access to install various tools and trojan horse programs on systems throughout company’s network and expanding their access to sensitive files, CyberESI said. The actors compromised privileged credentials, dumped password hashes, and gathered system, file, and network information for several systems. The actors also successfully used tools to dump Active Directory data from domain controllers on at least two different domains on the IAI’s network. All told, CyberESI was able to identify and acquire more than 700 files — totaling 762 MB total size — that were exfiltrated from IAI’s network during the compromise. The security firm said most of the data acquired was intellectual property and likely represented only a small portion of the entire data loss by IAI." Most of the stolen material pertained to Arrow III missiles, UAVs, and ballistic rockets.
Does that mean Hamas will start rocketing China also?
Table-ized A.I.
Reading everything that has been going on, and the details in the news articles about this system, I have almost been afraid to wonder if/when something like this would happen. I had no idea the whole thing works on WiFi until I read a CNN article. Very scary stuff if folks can find a way to compromise the system.
It's better as a US grant acquiring system than a rocket system.
Why dont these places have malware files spread out in their data files, hide them in a zip file or something.
So when hackers hack YOUR systems, you get to hack theirs back.
After all if this started with an email, surely having malware files on their machines must make it easier to hack them..... carefully crafted PDF, JPEG, etc etc etc
...until software and systems security is finally taken seriously. That may mean corporate LANs interconnected between sites by leased private fiber, where ther entire computer system for the company is not able to even reach the public Internet. That may mean that users have separate systems, one for internal communication within the company, and one for external communication to outsiders. That may also mean that companies stop allowing anything sensitive on public-reachable computers, and it might even mean that corporate IT departments have to look at hardware that doesn't allow for secure computers to even plug into regular, public networks, and for those 'regular' networks to be highly monitored and partially locked-down as to what IP ranges (and countries) can even be communicated with.
I can tell you one thing, if such a system were implemented there'd probably be an uptick in efficiency as now it'd be a lot harder to screw around at work. Sure, a lot of people would be really pissed that they can't do non-work tasks at work without using a system seeing such monitoring too, but given that salaries in the defense sector are generally pretty good, that's a tradeoff that one could probably stomach.
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
I hate actors. They used to want everyone to always be paying attention to them, and now they're stealing military data.
On the other hand, if employees of movie studios are stealing plans for missiles, then maybe I'd should take another look at my file sharing...
What they need is a ;\'Chesters Mill Dome"
Why dont these places have malware files spread out in their data files, hide them in a zip file or something.
All malware is data until you tell your computer to run it. If you get hacked by careless people, then I suppose having malware that reports them might work, but they'd have to run it or open it with a compromised program, and on a computer connected to the internet.
Don't waste your vote! Vote for whoever you want, unless you live in a swing state it won't matter anyways
Any and all advanced weapons systems are targets for Chinese military. This being the most advanced of its kind in the world with a billion dollar price tag and said to be a precursor to a similar US system, of course the Chinese are going to pursue it. Likely both in replicating and finding holes in it.
There's big long papers out there spent entirely on the game theory & feasibility of missile defense systems, unfortunately we get to see it all play out in real life with real tax dollars rather than in academic papers.
China is in a state of de facto war with every military R&D project in the world. Any defense contractor not locked down six ways from Sunday should be punished (or they should get a bonus for best practices.)
Apparently the Chinese don't think so. Compared to the American liberal arts community of experts on missile defense, they must be sadly misinformed.
any nation who puts that data onto a computer that is connected to the internet should be tried for treason by his own country and should be executed. There is simply no valid reason to do this other than to enable your nation's enemies to access your data. This applies just as much to employees of an Israeli firm, an American firm, a Russian firm, a Chinese firm.... ANY nation whose "experts" put any such data onto a system that is attached to the net should EXECUTE such traitors as quickly as possible.
I'm a non-partisan hater of foolishness and treachery.
Helluva lot of trouble just to hide their porn.
Fascism: An authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization. See also: NAZI's
If they build it, it will break soon after.
How is it that companies dealing with sensitive information can store these sensitive files on a network exposed to the outside world? It would seem to be a fairly cheap and such a small inconvenience to have a separate network of machines that are completely walled off from the outside.
I still don't understand why sensitive documents are on computers connected to public networks. They need to set up private networks with cold connected lines, not public vpn.
The NRC in Canada also got hacked into. The only technology file stolen was a genetic engineering project to make maple syrup sweeter. :)
It's easy to stay hidden once you're in. You'd be absolutely amazed how many companies have very strict rules at the entrance but if you manage to get past, there's little more than token security inside.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Most managers wouldn't want people to have two computers on their desk, since hey, they can save 50% on desk top systems by merging them. As long as system admins do their work, nothing could go wrong, right? I'm a penetration tester by trade and no matter where I go, even thin clients and virtual machine setups aren't properly separated.
People trust way too much in technical capabilities of devices and underestimate the ingenuity and perseverance of intruders to circumvent or penetrate those devices. Sneakernet to transfer data from and to the internal network(s) and not using VLANs for separating them isn't too bad if implemented properly. Computers are way cheaper than people. They are way cheaper than technical solutions to keep networks separated including their maintenance. They are way cheaper than having an incident where your internal IT is compromised. It just looks more expensive on the desktop, which is the only place non-security people tend to look.
I was promised a flying car. Where is my flying car?
The actors compromised privileged credentials, dumped password hashes, and gathered system, file, and network information for several systems.
And yet, they didn't properly cover their tracks? Just how exactly would you find out that someone has dumped password hashes a few months since the incident? Sure, that's first thing to do for anyone who just got access to interesting target, but how would you prove it with 90-100% certainty?
US support of Israel and their defense industry is a cheaper way to develop weapons. And also funnel public money into Republican campaign contributions.
If those attacks continue, and if they cause damage, people will start paying attention and will change the way their OS is secured. I think that the Android OS has it right - no user-generated files should be executable in any way, including scripts. You have 2 partitions - one that is executable, but only admins can write to it, and one that the user can write in, but nothing is executable there.
If you can see how it was done, see what the flaw is, and improve on the flaw. A worthless system is a system which was tried and which you can learn from without trying yourself. That means million dollar of R&D spared. Plus not all part of the system will be worthless.
C. Sagan : A demon haunted world:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345409469/
visit randi.org
The old design was always strong firewalls between the network and the Internet and nothing else. A lot of companies really believe that a stateful firewall will somehow prevent windows users running god knows what malware on their web connected desktop machines. Plus there are all the laptops and other devices staff plug straight into the core network. Plus VPN connection bridging the firewalls.
Computer security in most companies is a joke. That, apparently, includes defense contractors.
The people who did this are obviously antisemitic.
Not really, the old design was an air gap, a small network without outside connectivity at all.
So Chinese hackers stole American technology from Israel? You mean Israel didn't just sell it to the Chinese this time?
"AI was initially breached on April 16, 2012 by a series of specially crafted email phishing attacks"
Just who in their right minds keep 'secret' files on a Windows computer?
So these were "carefully crafted" phishing attacks, eh? Wow, go figure. This is just another high-profile example of a basic security truism: as long as people with insufficient security awareness (and common sense) have access to data, said data is vulnerable. Once again, the weak link is between the chair and the keyboard. It always will be.
Scruting the inscrutable for over 50 years.
"withdraw (troops or spies) surreptitiously, especially from a dangerous position."
Looks like they could use an irone dome for their network too.
To quote the excuses of all those NSA apologists:
The Chinese spying agencies are just doing what they are supposed to do, right? What's there to complain about? These are military targets, it's not like they are spying Cisco for Huawei's benefit here (not to say they aren't also doing that).
Aren't everyone else doing the same thing? You are fool if you think the Russians, Germans, French, Japanese, Australians, etc, are not all doing it.
But you can't have an air gap in the 21st Century... employees would be cut off from Facebook and Twitter, and that would deny them their human rights.
I am sure that there are many other solipsists out there.
In the old days such machines were considered potentially hostile and not allowed on the same network as the production/process line machines. Sometimes you'd have something on both networks to carefully feed apropriate information to the potentially virus ridden machines that were used to type up reports.
Now we've got malware far beyond the dreams of those "paranoid" days yet things are left wide open - so what do you expect when another report comes out of outsiders stealing the crown jewels?
I call BS. The article is way too specific. Even if true, hackers are entering everybody's systems all the time; this is just cherry picking. The real goal is to imply: "The Chinese are backing the Palestinians". The Chinese are bad guys, so obviously...
Yo, ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me. We pillage, we plunder, we rifle, and loot, drink up me hearties yo ho! We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot, drink up me hearties yo ho!
At this point I don't care what happens in the Middle East. With all the fighting and stuff going on there and other places I look up to the heavens and ask for a big space rock to smack us good so nobody would have to worry about anyone elses invisible man anymore on this planet. Seriously a species who puts so much value in invisible friends to kill each other over doesn't deserve to leave the planet.
In Soviet Russia military networks hack you!
Some idiot within their company clicked on "Naked pictures of...." or you've won $2,500,000. It's having someones desktop or laptop on the same network as the important R&D network and having crappy M$ products protecting important information. If these people can develop defence systems, they can take something oscure open source OS and make it the system they use.
If the Japanese can't manage nuclear power, who can? If the Israelis can't defend against Chinese hackers, who can?
(Definitely blew away my misconception. I had no idea anyone in Israel was dumb enough to use a Microsoft product on their network.)
So why don't you put an additional computer for 500 units of your local currency on their desks ? Too expensive ? Yeah. The beancounters determined that the secrets per employee are worth less than 500 units (dollars or any other insanely inflated unit).
Which is obviously shitty thinking, but that is how it is done.
http://www.janes.com/article/4...
FUck yes!!!
Free Palestine!!
Din't call me a lib* you dumb homo. Fucking Anonymous Coward talking to me about waving dicks around. If you think you are a big man then use your real name.
Survivors of massacre in Khuza’a say Israeli forces used Palestinians as human shields
Khuza’a is a village in the very eastern part of Khan Younis adjacent to the border fencein the southern Gaza strip. Its farmers have faced death almost on a daily basis in the past 7 years as Israeli gunfire has become the norm along the buffer zone between Gaza and Israel.
Following the Shuja’iyehmassacre, Israeli forces invaded Khuza’a withaerial strikes targeting any moving object. Survivors recall with horror thatseemingly heavy random tank fire led to the killing of dozens, injuring dozens others.
Over 150 of its residents were arrested by Israeli forces. Most of them were released, others are still in detention. Rescue calls were made live on the local radio stations, as many residents were besieged in their homes, unable to leave. Those who managed to leave came under fire as they were fleeing.
Ayman Abu Toaimah, 32, a resident of Khuza’arecalls,“As Israeli invading troops advanced to the village they besieged it and used residents as human shields. When the Israeli army arrested people and then released some of them, they were told they are free to go back to the village, but as they were fleeing they came under fire and some of them shot dead. These people were used as human shields.”
Abu Saleem, 56, a resident of Khuza’aechoedAbu Toaimah,“Israelis claim that Hamas is using us as human shields– how? This is a lie, we do not see fighters in the streets. It’s them, the Israelis who used us as human shields in Khuza’a and Shuja’iyeh. They turned our houses into military posts, terrified residents in the houses. They attacked innocent civilians with their bombs, and missiles, they attacked chicken farms, they burned our crops, they have no mercy.”
What happened in Khuza’a was a massacre. Civilians were killed in their homes and while they were fleeing. Even ambulances were not immune. Paramedics report that Israeli forces stopped ambulances that were trying to reach casualties and tried to arrest a number of wounded. Ambulances came under fire despite the coordination by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Scenes of dead bodies scattered in the streets reminiscent ofthe Sabra and Shatila massacre that took place in two Palestinian refugee camps in 1982 have begun to leak out of the village.
Abu Ali Qudail a resident of Khuza’a said: “When the ICRC told us that ambulances are waiting usat the entrance of the village from the western side, about 1,000 people rushed to leave their homes, some of which were used as a hideout for Israeli forces. As people were leaving they were surprised that the ambulances were not there, and as we were waiting tank shells rained down on our heads.”
Many people were killed, many others injured. Survivors say they could not help the wounded, many were still under the rubble, homes were destroyed and the smell of smoke and bombs was everywhere.
Abu Ali Qudail continued: “I was watching members of my family dying in front of me, some of them were torn to pieces. Rami, Ibrahim, Alia, Haj Abed died..we had to leave them behind, as soon as we reached one of the Khan Younis schools we entered it to seek shelter but it was very crowded with people who fled their homes. It’s hard to see people dying and you do not know what to do. One of my relatives’ homes were struck while they were inside.”
As the all-out Israeli assault on Gaza entered its 19th day, John Kerry announced from Cairo that he proposed a one week ceasefire, but Israel’s PM Netanyahu refused the offer and only agreed to a 12-hour lull.
Ma’an News reports on one family thatfled Khuza’a andwas then killed by an Israeli missile strike in Khan Younis as the ceasefire went into effect:
"Flyin' in just a sweet place,
Never been known to fail..."
Zionism == Fascist Genocide
"Children killed in their sleep by Israel"
Israeli military fire hit a United Nations-run school in Gaza today, killing at least 20 people and injuring an estimated 90 people. The school under attack, called the Abu Hussein girls’ elementary school, is located in the densely-populated Jabaliya refugee camp.
The United Nations Relief Works and Agency (UNRWA), the group that serves Palestinian refugees, issued a stern statement placing the blame for the attack on the Israeli army.
“Last night, children were killed as they slept next to their parents on the floor of a classroom in a UN designated shelter in Gaza. Children killed in their sleep; this is an affront to all of us, a source of universal shame. Today the world stands disgraced,” said UNRWA Secretary General Pierre Krähenbühl. “We have visited the site and gathered evidence. We have analysed fragments, examined craters and other damage. Our initial assessment is that it was Israeli artillery that hit our school, in which 3,300 people had sought refuge.”
Krähenbühl added that the Israeli attack violated international law, and that UNRWA had informed Israel of the location of the school 17 times. The Palestinians who were sheltering there had been told by the Israeli military to flee their Gaza neighborhoods, only to be hit by Israeli shells at the place they thought would be safe. An estimated 240,000 displaced Palestinians are being sheltered in UNRWA facilities.
Israeli army spokespeople claim that Palestinian fighters fired from near the school–a claim they have frequently made when confronted by their attacks on civilians.
It was the second time in two weeks that an attack on a UN school caused deaths. Israel denies it hit the UN school in Beit Hanoun it bombarded last week, though Gaza-based journalists like The Daily Beast’s Jesse Rosenfeld have cast doubt on those claims, writing that the evidence appears to indicate Israeli fire hitting the area. The attack killed 16 people. UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness said last week that three other UNRWA installations had been fired on by Israel, injuring five Palestinians in one incident.
UNRWA has also had to contend with Palestinian rockets being stored in schools that were abandoned. But there is no evidence that the schools hit by Israeli fire have rockets in them.
The attack on the UNRWA school in Jabaliya came after another night of heavy Israeli bombardment. The Gaza Ministry of Health said that over 70 Palestinians were killed since midnight. That brings the death toll to well over 1,200 Palestinians, the vast majority of them civilians.
Israel declared what it called a “humanitarian window” for four hours today–but also said it would continue to operate militarily in areas where soldiers were already firing. Hamas called it a declaration meant for the media and did not halt its fire. Israeli shells killed at least five Palestinians during the “humanitarian window, Ma’an News Agency reported. And another Israeli attack on a market in the Gaza neighborhood of Shuja’iyeh killed at least 15 people.
"Flyin' in just a sweet place,
Never been known to fail..."
Some spineless cunt has marked this as troll... another anonymous cowardly aggressor: Must be eligible for an Israeli passport.
He is being ironic with the "human" rights. Nevertheless, in banks and other settings, it is an huge liability to connect to anything else then your corporate network. Think about reverse tunnels, botnets and malware.