Chinese Cyberspies Raid Personal Inboxes of U.S. Government Officials

Chinese Cyberspies Raid Personal Inboxes of U.S. Government Officials

  • By Ginger Hill
  • Aug 11, 2015

Concerning privately-held email accounts, NBC News recently outed China for actively targeting the personal email accounts of White House officials, even though it’s been going on since April 2010. During the early stages, U.S. officials code named the attack as “Dancing Panda” and then changed it to “Legion Amethyst” in 2014.

For the past 5 years, Chinese cyberspies have found vacation plans, notes to friends and other everyday inbox correspondence from private emails of the Obama Administration. Likely mundane, knowing this information could help criminals piece together exactly where a high-ranking U.S. official will be, making the possibility for terrorism a real concern.

The attack didn’t target White House IT infrastructure, but free email services of which Gmail by Google was the preference. The total number of successfully-targeted officials is unclear, but the fact that hackers were able to breach these accounts to begin with should be of upmost concern. Here’s why:

  • Easily falling for phishing: This breach demonstrates that government employees are the administration’s weakest link when it comes to cyber security. Phishing can be done successfully even by unskilled scammers, but when executed by professional scammers, even the savviest employees can easily be tricked.
  • More accounts accessed: By U.S. officials simply clicking what seemed like a safe link in their emails, they may have actually gave these cyberspies access to other areas of their digital lives like bank accounts.

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.