• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
TechEngage®

TechEngage®

Technology news and opinions

  • Tech News
  • Reviews
  • How-to
  • Roundups
  • Science
    • Energy
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Space
  • Apps
  • More
    • Opinion
    • Noteworthy
    • Culture
    • Blockchain
      • Cryptocurrency
    • Events
    • Deals
    • Startups
      • Startup Submissions
  • Videos
TechEngage » News » Security

China accused of hacking US Navy

Avatar Of Fazeel Ashraf Fazeel Ashraf Updated: July 16, 2022

United States and China flag, US accused china of state sponsored hacking
via Shutterstock

The US Department of Justice has leveled official allegations against a group of Chinese hackers who hacked American computer systems between 2006 and 2018. Among the most noteworthy was a hack of the United States Navy.

More than 100,000 sailors had their personal information stolen in the hack. This information included social security numbers, names, and phone numbers. The FBI and DOJ have identified the defendants as Zhu Hua and Zhang Shilong. Both of them allegedly belong to a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group.

The FBI and DOJ are determined to bring the criminals to justice, and most media outlets are claiming that the assailants intended to steal US intelligence. According to the FBI, the group’s hacking campaign was widespread:

“As alleged in the Indictment, from at least 2006 through 2018, the defendants conducted extensive campaigns of global intrusions into computer systems aiming to steal, among other data, intellectual property and confidential business and technological information from more than at least 45 commercial and defense technology companies in at least a dozen states, managed service providers (“MSP”), which are companies that remotely manage the information technology infrastructure of businesses and governments around the world, and U.S. government agencies.”

What will China do with the personal information? At the moment, there aren’t many details about what China’s intentions could be.

It’s possible there might not be much value in sailors’ personal information. But it is important to note that there is some unclassified information that could be of value. The DOJ did not disclose any further details so it’s unclear when or if the information will be made public.

We’re also not clear on which US Navy bases were impacted, and every base in each state serves specific functions. The one in Bethesda, Maryland, for example, trains US military doctors. The base in Cleveland, Ohio houses the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, where payroll is generated and other financial data is stored. The base in San Diego, California deploys all the troops to the Middle East.

We don’t know exactly which bases got hacked, but we do know 1 in 3 sailors had their information stolen. Troops are taught early on how valuable their secrecy is; most troops are taught that even a scrap of information could be used to gain an advantage on the enemy.

The hackers could connect the dots and extrapolate from the data stolen to get a more complete picture. They could even manage to get all the information about each troop’s geolocation or gather information about troops whose accounts did not get hacked. It would only take a little bit of guesswork, using the data hacked to create connections between each sailor.

The hackers had little trouble gaining access to the network. The Next Web reached out to the US Navy for more details regarding the leaked information. Navy spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Liza Dougherty explained that the Navy ensures that personnel is immediately informed when their identity has been compromised. According to Dougherty, the Navy considers personal information very sacred (as it should).

Doughtery couldn’t add more to the conversation as the investigation was still ongoing and she couldn’t risk jeopardizing it.

The relationship between China and the US has been rocky in 2018. Both countries have had trust issues stemming from trade sanctions. The US public wants the majority of jobs to stay in the US but big corporations benefit from exporting their businesses to China, because of low labor costs.

But it seems the public’s concern might have triggered China into getting defensive and cutting ties with the US. When Huawei’s CFO was arrested due to allegations of illegal trading, the relationship drifted even further.

Now there’s a global war being fought on computers. And in the age of information, enemies can do harm without shedding blood. It will be hard to mend the relationship unless a neutral party gets involved to resolve matters between the US and China.

This post was orginally published on: December 21, 2018 and was updated on: July 16, 2022.

Related Tags: China Cybersecurity hacking NASA Security United States UnitedKingdom UnitedStates USNavy

Related Stories

  • The Evolution Of Cybersecurity Accessibility

    The evolution of cybersecurity accessibility

  • 3D Printed Faces Can Now Be Used To Unlock Android Phones

    3D printed faces can now be used to unlock Android phones

  • Wedo Technologies Shows Us Why We Should Care About Telecom Fraud

    WeDo Technologies shows us why we should care about telecom fraud

Avatar Of Fazeel Ashraf

Fazeel Ashraf

Former Author @TechEngage

IT graduate from the National University of Science and Technology with a passion for writing. When not reading or writing, I can be found listening to rock and metal or playing some classic jams on my electric guitar. I’m also a big fan of horror movies.

Reader Interactions

Share Your Thoughts Cancel reply

Please read our comment policy before submitting your comment. Your email address will not be used or publish anywhere. You will only receive comment notifications if you opt to subscribe below.

Primary Sidebar

Become a contributor

We are accepting contributor applications. All applications will be decided in 3 days after applying. To learn more click here.
TechEngage-Apple-News
TechEngage-Google-News
A photo of Samsung smartphones

The best smartphones to look out for post lockdown

Featured image for best to do list apps

Top 10 best to-do list apps 2023

Recent Stories

  • Samsung unveils Galaxy S23 series with “made for Galaxy” Snapdragon processor
  • Netflix crackdown nears as streaming giant tightens password sharing rules
  • Best ad blockers for desktop in 2023
  • Top Slack Alternatives in 2023
  • Apple strengthens account security with hardware keys support

Footer

Discover

  • About us
  • Newsroom
  • Staff
  • Advertise
  • Send us a tip
  • Startup Submission Questionnaire
  • Brand Kit
  • Contact us

Legal pages

  • Reviews Guarantee
  • Community Guidelines
  • Corrections Policy and Practice
  • Cookies Policy
  • Our Ethics
  • Disclaimer
  • GDPR Compliance
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Must reads

  • Best AirPods alternatives on Amazon
  • Best PC monitors for gaming on Amazon
  • Best family board games
  • Best Graphics Cards (GPUs) for gaming
  • Best video doorbells without subscription
  • Best handheld video game consoles
  • Best all-season tires for snow
  • Best mobile Wi-Fi hotspots
  • Best treadmills on Amazon
  • Best AM radios for long-distance reception

Download our apps

TechEngage-app-google-play-store

Copyright © 2023 · All Rights Reserved · TechEngage® is a Project of TechAbout LLC.
TechEngage® is a registered trademark in United Kingdom under Trademark Number UK00003417167 and is ISSN protected under the ISSN 2690-3776 and OCLC Number 1139335774.

Go to mobile version