CYBER spies working for or on behalf of China's government have broadened attacks against official and corporate targets in Vietnam at a time of raised tension over the South China Sea, cyber security company FireEye said.
FireEye told Reuters the attacks happened in recent weeks and it had traced them back to suspected Chinese cyber spies based partly on the fact that a Chinese group it had identified previously had used the same infrastructure before.
"Where China has often focused on the government before, this shows they are really hitting the full commercial sector potentially in Vietnam and trying to gather a broad base of information there," said Ben Read, who heads FireEye's cyber espionage team.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China opposed all forms of illegal internet activities or stealing of secrets and also opposed any accusations from any side against any country on the issue without cast-iron proof.
Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said cyber attacks should be severely punished in accordance with the law and that it was important for countries to secure their networks.
Vietnam denies allowing cyber espionage although it has also been accused by FireEye of carrying out attacks.
STRAINS
Tension between China and neighbouring Vietnam is at its highest in three years over the disputed South China Sea, where Vietnam has emerged as the most vocal opponents of Beijing's extensive claims.
Vietnam suspended oil drilling in offshore waters that are also claimed by China in July under pressure from Beijing.
China has appeared uneasy at Vietnam's efforts to rally Southeast Asian countries over the South China Sea as well as at its growing defence relationships with the United States, Japan and India.
China claims nearly all the South China Sea, through which an estimated $3 trillion in international trade passes each year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan also have claims.
FireEye said the attacks in Vietnam involved sending users documents in Vietnamese which appeared to be requests for financial information. A broad range of companies appeared to have been targeted, including financial institutions, it said without giving specific details.
When the user opened them, they delivered malware which could infect a computer and send back information to the cyber spies, potentially letting them into the computer network too.
FireEye linked the attacks to a team it calls Conimes because in the past it used the conimes.com domain. The team focuses on Southeast Asia, but its main target is Vietnam and even more so since tensions rose over the South China Sea, Read said.
He was unable to say exactly what information had been gathered.
Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang called earlier this month for tighter Internet controls to provide better protection against cyber threats as well as to prevent websites and social media publishing material damaging to the communist party.
Read said the attacks it had discovered on Vietnam were relatively unsophisticated and relied on users having pre-2012 versions of Microsoft Word.
"They are using comparatively simple techniques because apparently they work," he said.
Reuters
Thu Aug 31 2017
Where China has often focused on the government before, this shows they are really hitting the full commercial sector potentially in Vietnam. - Reuters
LIMA '25 dianjurkan pada 20-24 Mei tahun depan
Pameran Maritim dan Aeroangkasa Antarabangsa Langkawi 2025 (LlMA ‘25) akan dianjurkan pada 20 hingga 24 Mei tahun depan bertemakan Innovate Today, Thrive Tomorrow.
Malaysia komited tingkat hubungan dua hala bersama Libya
Malaysia terus komited mempertingkatkan hubungan dua hala yang berterusan bersama Libya demi manfaat bersama dalam pelbagai sektor.
Demi rakyat, Zahid-Muhyiddin henti saman fitnah
Presiden Umno, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi dan Presiden Bersatu, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin bersepakat untuk menamatkan pertikaian peribadi antara mereka.
Sultan Selangor berangkat ke Majlis Bacaan Yassin di Pangkalan TLDM
Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah yang juga Kepten Yang Dipertua Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) berkenan berangkat ke Pangkalan TLDM Lumut di Perak bagi menghadiri Majlis Bacaan Yasin, Tahlil dan Khutbah Khas sempena Sambutan Hari TLDM ke-90.
PM Anwar pulangkan elaun Pengerusi Khazanah
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim memaklumkan beliau memulangkan elaun sebagai pengerusi Khazanah Nasional Berhad yang diterimanya dan sekali lagi menegaskan tidak menerima gaji bagi jawatan Perdana Menteri yang disandangnya sejak November 2022.
10 Berita Pilihan - (26 April 2024)
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Anak MB Perlis, empat lain dilepas dengan jaminan SPRM
Anak lelaki Menteri Besar Perlis yang direman Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia sejak Rabu, dilepaskan dengan jaminan SPRM, hari ini bersama empat individu lain.
Rasuah jenayah bersifat unik - Azam Baki
Rasuah merupakan jenayah yang unik sifatnya pada masa kini dan Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) memerlukan sokongan daripada semua pihak khususnya media.
Media arus perdana masih sumber paling dipercayai - Azam Baki
Ketua Pesuruhjaya Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM), Tan Sri Azam Baki menasihatkan masyarakat tidak menjadikan berita di media sosial khususnya berkaitan siasatan dijalankan agensi penguatkuasaan sebagai sumber utama yang boleh dipercayai.
Mirzan, Mokhzani diberi lanjutan 30 hari oleh SPRM
Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) memberi tempoh lanjutan 30 hari bagi kedua-dua anak bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad mengisytiharkan aset masing-masing kepada pihaknya. Ini bermakna kedua-dua Tan Sri Mokhzani dan Mirzan perlu mengemukakan maklumat berkenaan aset yang dikumpul selama 43 tahun sejak tahun bapa mereka menjawat jawatan Perdana Menteri.
Kru Shenzhou-18 berjaya masuk stesen angkasa Tiangong
Kru Shenzhou-18 China berjaya memasuki stesen angkasa Tiangong selepas kapal angkasa yang dinaiki mereka bercantum dengan kombinasi stesen angkasa secara automatik pada 5.04 pagi Jumaat.
MAQIS tahan dua ekor anjing dari China, identiti mengelirukan
Pemeriksaan mendapati nombor mikrocip yang diimbas pada badan anjing tidak sepadan dengan nombor mikrocip yang diikrar dalam permit import.
Malaysia muncul destinasi utama pengembangan perniagaan di ASEAN - Kajian UOB
Malaysia telah muncul sebagai negara paling penting dalam ASEAN untuk diceburi perniagaan, seperti yang ditunjukkan oleh Kajian Tinjauan Perniagaan UOB 2024 (PKS & Perusahaan Besar).
Industri hiburan penghubung antara Malaysia dan China - Shila Amzah
Shila Amzah percaya bahawa industri hiburan mempunyai pengaruh yang besar dan memainkan peranan penting dalam memupuk hubungan diplomatik Malaysia-China.
TPM mahu lebih ramai anak muda Sabah diberi pendidikan TVET
Beliau ditawarkan oleh China untuk menghantar 2,000 pelajar Malaysia bagi mengikuti program TVET dengan biasiswa penuh ke negara itu.
Perang dicetuskan blok Barat untuk terus kekal berkuasa - Penganalisis
Kemunculan kuasa-kuasa besar baharu seperti China yang mempunyai kekuatan ekonomi sangat tidak dijangka oleh Barat.
Harga minyak diunjur naik akibat konflik Iran-Israel
Harga minyak mentah Brent diunjur melonjak sehingga AS$95 setong berbanding sekitar AS$90 setong ketika ini berdasarkan jangkaan senario terburuk daripada konflik Iran-Israel.
Piala Uber: Tiada istilah mengalah buat Mei Xing
Pemain itu bagaimanapun mengakui sedikit terbeban dengan ketiadaan pasangan utama negara Pearly Tan-M Thinaah dalam kejohanan berkenaan.
MPOC jangka MSM didagangkan pada harga RM4,000-RM4,200 satu tan pada April
MPOC berkata, dinamik pasaran minyak sawit pada Mac dipengaruhi oleh beberapa faktor, termasuk peningkatan dalam pengeluaran minyak sawit.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.