Retail giant Amazon and tech giant Apple were among nearly 30 U.S. companies, including a major bank, that was compromised by a Chinese intelligence hardware hacking scheme, according to a Bloomberg report.
The companies and organizations were compromised through a maneuver of installing extra components onto computer chips that the groups had purchased while they were still at the factory being manufactured.
The malicious chips were reportedly placed by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army which was able to infiltrate the manufacturing process of a hardware company called Super Micro. At the size of a grain of rice, according to Bloomberg, the chips were designed to be inconspicuous and avoid detection.
Once in place, they could be used to access data on a computer and install malware.
Both Apple and Amazon have denied the report, saying in statements to Bloomberg that their systems were not compromised by hacks.
……..
Super Micro manufactured servers for an American firm called Elemental Technologies, whose devices could be “found in Department of Defense data centers, the CIA’s drone operations, and the onboard networks of Navy warships” and companies including Apple and Amazon.
Elemental was acquired by Amazon in 2015 and specializes in high-quality video compression.
…….
- Discussion
-
Apple, Amazon, among companies compromised in Chinese intelligence hack: report https://t.co/W2lySMTbOz pic.twitter.com/06LMEFLOIO
— The Hill (@thehill) October 4, 2018
IC folks tell me that this bombshell story, while more true than not, missed some important facts. This was a big win for Beijing, to be sure, but not quite as big as it seems on the surface. There is, of course, a hidden dimension.
Developing…https://t.co/OWARKcIBc3
— John Schindler (@20committee) October 4, 2018
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.