US oil industry hit by cyberattacks: Was China involved?

Article from: csmonitor.com, January 2010

At least three US oil companies were the target of a series of cyber attacks that may have originated in China. Experts say the level of sophistication in the growing global war of Internet espionage is increasing.

US oil industry hit by cyberattacks: Was China involved?

"The oil and gas industry breaches, the mere existence of which has been a closely guarded secret of oil companies and federal authorities, were focused on one of the crown jewels of the industry: valuable “bid data” detailing the quantity, value, and location of oil discoveries worldwide, sources familiar with the attacks say and documents obtained by the Monitor show.

The companies – Marathon Oil, ExxonMobil, and ConocoPhillips – didn’t realize the full extent of the attacks, which occurred in 2008, until the FBI alerted them that year and in early 2009. Federal officials told the companies proprietary information had been flowing out, including to computers overseas, a source familiar with the attacks says and documents show."

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