The New E-spionage Threat: A BusinessWeek probe of rising attacks on America's most sensitive computer networks uncovers startling security gaps
"BusinessWeek" reports:
The U.S. government, and its sprawl of defense contractors, have been the victims of an unprecedented rash of similar cyber attacks over the last two years, say current and former U.S. government officials. "It's espionage on a massive scale," says Paul B. Kurtz, a former high-ranking national security official... Private targets like Booz Allen are just as vulnerable and pose just as much potential security risk. "They have our information on their networks. They're building our weapon systems. You wouldn't want that in enemy hands," Croom says.
Previously, a Senior Intelligence Official wrote to us:
None of the e-mails I provided to Dan [in September 2006, concerning allegations of espionage] involved government activities. They involved personal communications between me, Dan, [redacted], and [redacted] concerning fabricated e-mail accounts used to disseminate false documents about UFOs, SERPO, etc. for which government (intelligence) officials such as John Gannon were falsely implicated... this was a personal activity conducted at the request of an old friend and mentor... to protect another old friend and mentor, John Gannon from being falsely implicated in this nonsense. In the end it generated no conclusive findings. That said it certainly is possible that some of these e-mails have been modified and/or others fabricated.
Dr. John C. Gannon has been a key figure in the Intelligence Community.
According to the National Academies website:
Dr. John Gannon
BAE Systems
John Gannon is vice president for global analysis, a new line of business formed within BAE Systems Information Technology. Dr. Gannon joins BAE Systems after serving as Staff Director of the House Homeland Security Committee, the first new committee established by Congress in more than thirty years. In 2002-2003, he was a team leader in the White House's Transitional Planning Office for the Department of Homeland Security. He served previously in the senior-most analytic positions in the intelligence community, including CIA's Director of European Analysis, Deputy Director for Intelligence, Chairman of the National Intelligence Council, and Assistant Director of Central Intelligence for Analysis and Production. In the private sector, he developed the analytic workforce for Intellibridge Corporation, a web-based provider of outsourced analysis for government and corporate clients. Dr. Gannon served as a naval officer in Southeast Asia and later in several Naval Reserve commands; retiring as a Captain. He holds a Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. He is an adjunct professor in the National Security Studies Program at Georgetown University. He is also a current member of the TIGER committee. Dr. Gannon is nominated for his expertise in technology evaluation, military and intelligence applications, and threat analysis.
According to the "BusinessWeek" story:
The e-mail message addressed to a Booz Allen Hamilton executive was mundane-a shopping list sent over by the Pentagon of weaponry India wanted to buy. But the missive turned out to be a brilliant fake. Lurking beneath the description of aircraft, engines, and radar equipment was an insidious piece of computer code known as "Poison Ivy" designed to suck sensitive data out of the 4 billion consulting firm's computer network. The Pentagon hadn't sent the e-mail at all. Its origin is unknown, but the message traveled through Korea on its way to Booz Allen. Its authors knew enough about the "sender" and "recipient" to craft a message unlikely to arouse suspicion. Had the Booz Allen executive clicked on the attachment, his every keystroke would have been reported back to a mysterious master at the Internet address cybersyndrome.3322.org, which is registered through an obscure company headquartered on the banks of China's Yangtze River.
One question remains: Have foreign operatives targeted alternative researchers with ties to the Intelligence Community?
The recent emergence of an alternative energy/propulsion group alleged to be 'reverse engineering' off-world technology (or imaginary technology) sometimes called RAM -- Replicate Alien Machine -- is one example of the intersection of contractors, researchers, and government persons, on the Internet.
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