Tag Archive for: citing

China calls the US an “Empire of Hacking,” citing 2017 Wikileaks files

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Facepalm: The term “Chinese hacker” has become a common saying in pop culture, but it seems the Asian nation has a similar term for the US: the “Empire of Hacking.” The name appears in a new Chinese report that accuses the CIA of using cyberattacks against China and other countries.

As per The Reg, an investigation called “The Matrix” conducted by the National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center of China and local cybersecurity firm 360 Total Security has been published in a report titled Empire of Hacking: The US Central Intelligence Agency – Part I.

The report claims that investigators examining a number of cyberattacks within China captured and extracted a large number of Trojans, functional plug-ins, and attack platform samples alleged to be closely associated with the CIA, revealing an “empire of hackers” under US control, writes the South China Morning Post.

“These cyberweapons have undergone strict, standardised, and professional software engineering management, which is uniquely followed by the CIA in developing cyberattack weapons,” the report states.

But many of the findings come from old information gleaned from a 2017 series of leaks on the CIA by Wikileaks, codenamed Vault7. It included details of the agency’s global covert hacking program, the malware it used, and dozens of zero-day weaponized exploits against a wide range of US and European company products, including Apple and Android phones, Windows, and smart TVs, which were exploited so their microphones could be used as listening devices.

“They have now covered almost all internet and IoT assets globally, allowing control over foreign networks and theft of important, sensitive data at any time,” the report said. “Targets of these attacks include critical information infrastructure, aerospace, research institutions, oil and petrochemical industries, large internet companies, and government agencies in various countries. These attacks can be traced back to 2011 and have continued until now.”

The report also mentions the CIA’s history of trying to…

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Internet services company Cloudflare blocks Kiwi Farms citing ‘targeted threats’

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Internet hosting and security services provider Cloudflare said Saturday that it would block Kiwi Farms, a website associated with harassment campaigns against transgender people.

The announcement puts the future of the fringe internet forum in doubt, though some of its members had already anticipated that Cloudflare could act and began to explore other options.

When attempting to visit Kiwi Farms’ website Saturday evening, an error message appeared that said: “Due to an imminent and emergency threat to human life, the content of this site is blocked from being accessed through Cloudflare’s infrastructure.”

The move comes after Cloudflare became the subject of a pressure campaign by a trans Twitch streamer who has been a target of abuse by Kiwi Farms users.

The streamer, Clara Sorrenti, known to fans as Keffals, responded Saturday in a tweet. “Cloudflare has dropped Kiwi Farms. Our campaign will put out a statement soon,” she said.

Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince’s announced the move in a blog post and did not mention Sorrenti by name, but said that abuse from Kiwi Farms had intensified in response to her campaign.

“This is an extraordinary decision for us to make and, given Cloudflare’s role as an Internet infrastructure provider, a dangerous one that we are not comfortable with,” Cloudflare’s statement said.

“However, the rhetoric on the Kiwifarms site and specific, targeted threats have escalated over the last 48 hours to the point that we believe there is an unprecedented emergency and immediate threat to human life unlike we have previously seen from Kiwifarms or any other customer before.”

On Friday, NBC News reported that Sorrenti is one of Kiwi Farms’ growing list of targets, and that their harassment techniques could become a playbook against political enemies as the 2024 U.S. presidential election nears.

Kiwi Farms owner Josh Moon did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday from NBC News. A post on the Kiwi Farms Telegram account said Cloudflare’s decision was “done without any discussion.”

“The message I’ve received is a vague suspension notice. The message from Matthew Prince is unclear,” the post stated. “If there is any threat to…

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U.S. Blacklists Dozens of Chinese Tech Firms Citing National Security Concerns – NBC New York

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  • The Biden administration added a dozen Chinese companies to its trade blacklist on Wednesday.
  • Of those blacklisted, eight Chinese technology entities were added for their alleged role in assisting the Chinese military’s quantum computing efforts.
  • U.S. officials have long complained that Chinese companies are beholden to the People’s Republic of China and collect sensitive information on behalf of the People’s Liberation Army.

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration added a dozen Chinese companies to its trade blacklist on Wednesday citing national security as well as foreign policy concerns.

Eight technology entities based in China were added to the list for their alleged role in assisting the Chinese military’s quantum computing efforts and acquiring or attempting “to acquire U.S. origin-items in support of military applications.”

U.S. officials have long complained that Chinese companies are beholden to the People’s Republic of China and collect sensitive information on behalf of the People’s Liberation Army. The Chinese Communist Party has previously said that it does not engage in industrial espionage. 

The Commerce Department also listed 16 entities and individuals operating in China and Pakistan for their work on Islamabad’s nuclear and ballistic missile program. In all, the Biden administration added 27 entities and individuals located in the People’s Republic of China, Pakistan, Russia, Japan and Singapore.

“Global trade and commerce should support peace, prosperity, and good-paying jobs, not national security risks,” wrote U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo in a statement. “The Department of Commerce is committed to effectively using export controls to protect our national security.”

The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

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US Urges Other Countries to Shun Huawei, Citing Espionage Risk

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  1. US Urges Other Countries to Shun Huawei, Citing Espionage Risk  Fortune

  2. US asks allies to avoid equipment made by China’s Huawei, citing espionage risk  The Straits Times
  3. US China CYBER WARFARE: Trump officials in Huawei technology boycott citing ESPIONAGE risk  Express.co.uk
  4. Washington Asks Allies to Drop Huawei  Wall Street Journal
  5. US asks allies to drop China’s Huawei, amid security fears  The Australian

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