DailyTech - Hackers May Have Stolen Sensitive Defense Info from Japan's Largest Weapons Supplier

Submit News

Internet Hackers May Have Stolen Sensitive Defense Info from Japan's Largest Weapons Supplier
Tiffany Kaiser - October 24, 2011 10:08 AM

13 comment(s) - last by cruisin3style.. on Oct 24 at 3:45 PM

(Source: cdn2.wn.com)

The situation is currently under investigation to see if the information lost was sensitive

Japan's largest weapons supplier, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, was the target of a cyber attack that was reported in August 2011. Now, the Asahi newspaper reports that sensitive defense information may have leaked due to the hacks.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, which is a partner of Boeing and creates military weapons for Japan, was the target of a hack that may have leaked important defense information such as warplane, helicopter, and nuclear power plant data. Viruses infected eighty computers/servers, while "dozens" of other servers in Japan showed signs of leaks of sensitive information.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd was late in reporting the hack, which became publicly known in August. According to Asahi, it is "highly likely" that someone breached the system to steal sensitive data.

The question at hand right now is whether the information taken from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd's systems was, in fact, sensitive defense information.

According to the Japanese defense ministry, it is unaware of any leaks of sensitive information, but the situation is currently under investigation.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd said that information such as IP addresses may have leaked last month, but it is unaware of any leaks in regards to its products.

"The issue is currently under investigation and I cannot comment on it," said Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd spokesman Hideo Ikuno.

Earlier this year, the U.S. experienced a cyber attack against its own defense technology company Lockheed Martin.

Source: MSNBC

Comments

Threshold

Username
Password
remember me

This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled

You mean the "give the Soviets milling tech" company?

By bigdawg1988 on 10/24/2011 10:29:33 AM , Rating: 1

They probably sold the info, then blamed it on hackers.

RE: You mean the "give the Soviets milling tech" company?

By borismkv on 10/24/2011 10:39:24 AM , Rating: 5

I don't know if you heard, but there are no more "Soviets." There are Russians, and Chinese. The USSR dissolved about, oh, 20 years ago.

Parent

RE: You mean the "give the Soviets milling tech" company?

By bigdawg1988 on 10/24/2011 10:47:09 AM , Rating: 3

Uh, yeah I think I remember that. They were the USSR then. Mitsubishi is still around though.

Parent

RE: You mean the "give the Soviets milling tech" company?

By cjohnson2136 on 10/24/2011 10:50:12 AM , Rating: 2

His point being that the Soviets were USSR since USSR is not around neither are the Soviets. So your title should read Russian or Chinese not Soviets.

Parent

RE: You mean the "give the Soviets milling tech" company?

By Nfarce on 10/24/2011 11:49:59 AM , Rating: 2

Uhm, Toshiba Machine Co. exported milling tech in the mid-80s to the Soviet Union against an embargo. They were caught in 1987. Now the last time I checked, Russia was still in and a part of the USSR in 1987 (and earlier).

Parent

RE: You mean the "give the Soviets milling tech" company?

By cjohnson2136 on 10/24/2011 11:58:43 AM , Rating: 1

Ok so that was 24 years ago your point?

Parent

RE: You mean the "give the Soviets milling tech" company?

By Nfarce on 10/24/2011 12:28:40 PM , Rating: 2

{face palm}

The original commenter stated that Japan gave sensitive milling technology to the Soviets. Then some eagle eye came along and said the Soviets were disbanded some 20-odd years ago. I backed up the original commenter's post stating that it WAS the USSR (Soviet Union) at the time this happened.

Does that clear it up for you?

Parent

RE: You mean the "give the Soviets milling tech" company?

By cjohnson2136 on 10/24/2011 12:44:50 PM , Rating: 2

Yeah I got a little bit ago after doing some research. I thought the OP was talking about Soviets now a days. I now realize he was talking about a situation that happened awhile ago. My mistake for not knowing my USSR history lol

Parent

RE: You mean the "give the Soviets milling tech" company?

By tng on 10/24/2011 1:26:01 PM , Rating: 1

I had a coworker that went frequently to Morton-Thiacol to do work on Toshiba branded equipment at that time. People there called him some very bad names until he asked if they had killed any astronauts lately.....

Parent

RE: You mean the "give the Soviets milling tech" company?

By BruceLeet on 10/24/2011 12:52:39 PM , Rating: 2

I don't know if you know but slavery was abolished Dec 6th 1865, that doesn't mean slavery ended.

Parent

RE: You mean the "give the Soviets milling tech" company?

By cruisin3style on 10/24/2011 3:45:53 PM , Rating: 3

Just because the British empire doesn't exist any more, doesn't mean Benedict Arnold didn't defect to them

Parent

So, when you say "Hackers"...

By tng on 10/24/2011 12:08:18 PM , Rating: 2

you mean China, probably?

Not the type of thing that Anon would do right?

RE: So, when you say "Hackers"...

By yomamafor1 on 10/24/2011 12:17:48 PM , Rating: 3

Although there's no additional information at this time, this has "Chinese military / government" written all over it.

Parent

"Mac OS X is like living in a farmhouse in the country with no locks, and Windows is living in a house with bars on the windows in the bad part of town." -- Charlie Miller