Vast Spy System Loots Computers in 103 Countries (New York Times)

[Posted March 30, 2009 by jake]

The New York Times broke the story of "GhostNet", a globe-spanning infiltration of computers, most of which are controlled by various governments. In investigating malware at the offices of the Dalai Lama, security researchers found a much larger operation. "Their sleuthing opened a window into a broader operation that, in less than two years, has infiltrated at least 1,295 computers in 103 countries, including many belonging to embassies, foreign ministries and other government offices, as well as the Dalai Lamas Tibetan exile centers in India, Brussels, London and New York. [...] The researchers, who have a record of detecting computer espionage, said they believed that in addition to the spying on the Dalai Lama, the system, which they called GhostNet, was focused on the governments of South Asian and Southeast Asian countries."

Vast Spy System Loots Computers in 103 Countries (New York Times)

Posted Mar 31, 2009 9:34 UTC (Tue) by RobWilco (guest, #40828) [Link]

I am not always concerned by security since on my personal laptop, I can recreate the system from backup in a few dozens of minutes. I realized not long ago that this is a tad bigger than just me and my data. I am concerned when Lithuania gets its web infrastructure DDOSed in retaliation or when a political/religious leader is spied on.

Vast Spy System Loots Computers in 103 Countries (New York Times)

Posted Mar 31, 2009 12:39 UTC (Tue) by charlieb (guest, #23340) [Link] (1 responses)

I'm still waiting for just one report to identify the computers as running Microsoft Windows operating systems and email programs...

Probably not Windows

Posted Mar 31, 2009 18:02 UTC (Tue) by pr1268 (guest, #24648) [Link]

I'm still waiting for just one report to identify the computers as running Microsoft Windows operating systems and email programs...

Probably not Windows boxes. After all, do you suppose that a typical Windows user would actually know how to set up such an elaborate spy system? Or, put differently, that the skilled malicious hacker that set up this spy net would actually demean him/herself with using Windows? ;)

Unless you're talking about the bots themselves...

Vast Spy System Loots Computers in 103 Countries (New York Times)

Posted Mar 31, 2009 13:47 UTC (Tue) by clugstj (subscriber, #4020) [Link] (3 responses)

Who would spy on the Dalai Lama and countries in South/Southeast Asia? It's sad that the excusenicks at the NYT feel the need to try to cast doubt on the source of the spy network.

Vast Spy System Loots Computers in 103 Countries (New York Times)

Posted Mar 31, 2009 19:28 UTC (Tue) by flewellyn (subscriber, #5047) [Link] (2 responses)

Who would spy on the Dalai Lama and countries in South/Southeast Asia?

The Chinese government in Beijing. They view the Dalai Lama as a dangerous subversive and possible leader of a revolutionary group.

Vast Spy System Loots Computers in 103 Countries (New York Times)

Posted Apr 3, 2009 15:28 UTC (Fri) by clugstj (subscriber, #4020) [Link] (1 responses)

No kidding, I assumed that was obvious. My point was that the NYT went out and found someone who would say that it could be the CIA.

New York Times Conspires with Canadian Security Researcher to imply America is responsible for the World's Ills (NOT)

Posted Apr 7, 2009 2:07 UTC (Tue) by xoddam (subscriber, #2322) [Link]

The person quoted as saying the spies "could well be the CIA or the Russians" was a member of the research team which first uncovered the network and pinpointed China as the location of the apparent controlling machines.

He's just saying that knowing the IP address of a computer that communicates with spyware doesn't tell you much about who or what agency is controlling *that* machine.

The NYT reporter didn't "go out and find" anybody.