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Chinese Hackers Mess With Texas By Attacking Fracking Firms

Posted by samzenpus on from the secrets-to-success dept.

chicksdaddy writes The technology revolution that is "fracking" has created billions in wealth for states like Pennsylvania, Texas, Ohio and Wyoming. But all that oil and all those dollars have attracted the attention of sophisticated spies from near and far to steal valuable trade secrets. Digital Guardian's blog notes this report from News 4 San Antonio in Texas which quotes local FBI officials saying they are "very concerned" about theft of trade secrets from companies engaged in "fracking" in the Eagle Ford Shale in Texas. "It's corporate espionage, there's no question about it," said Christopher Combs of the San Antonio FBI. "Foreign governments or foreign companies are looking for any competitive advantage. Whether it's the widget that you use to drill, or it's a process that you use to track inventory better. They're really looking at the company as a whole to find out every little thing that you do that makes you a better company on the world market." Combs declined to name specific firms, but said that Chinese firms are "aggressively" engaged in industrial espionage. However, the problem isn't limited to China. Companies with ties to governments that are U.S. allies are believed to be conducting espionage against innovative US firms as well.

5 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. Seems fair by Charliemopps · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This seems fair to me...
    http://www.pcworld.com/article...
    http://www.wired.com/2014/10/n...

    what's good for the goose is good for the gander

  2. billions for who? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    I live in PA. We have not gotten "billions" from fracking firms, since we have no gas extraction tax. Most of the rig workers are from out of state. They spend a fair amount fixing roads -- but that is because their trucks tore them up. Please stop repeating that natural gas production benefits the common citizen. It benefits shareholders. Our gas bill isn't even that cheap, since the gas is shipped to nyc/boston.

  3. Who will get the cocktail first? by damn_registrars · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Groups have been pressuring the oil/gas companies to give information on the composition of the magic "fracking solution" for years now. All the companies have been willing to say so far is "it's safe, trust us!". If the courts can't get the companies to tell us why we should trust them on the safety of this cocktail, perhaps the hackers will find out its composition and tell us first?

    One might wonder how an oil/gas company would look in terms of safety if they were ousted by a Chinese group...

    --
    Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
  4. Frack! Propaganda, anyone? by marienf · · Score: 4, Insightful

    > The technology revolution that is "fracking" has created billions in
    > wealth for states like Pennsylvania, Texas, Ohio and Wyoming.

    This smells (PI) like corporate propaganda to me.

    > Chinese firms are "aggressively" engaged in industrial espionage
    > conducting espionage against innovative US firms

    riiight.. McCarthy, anyone? And.. innovative?? Innovation? Involving fossil fuels? The only trade secrets they are likely protecting is the toxicity and environmental impact of fracking. So the next logical step is that the chinese or whoever steal the "secrets", realise how stupid phracking is, then cancel any such plans at home and invest massively in renewables.

    So this is great news. The fracking disaster will end with the US.

    -f

  5. Shale Oil by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    China has massive shale oil and gas deposits - larger that the US and has a high priority to develop them.

    It really should not be too big a surprise that they would make industrial espionage in this area a favorite activity.