Hackers linked to Chinas government broke into one of the U.S. governments most sensitive computer networks, breaching a system used by the White House Military Office for nuclear commands, according to defense and intelligence officials familiar with the incident.
One official said the cyber breach was one of Beijings most brazen cyber attacks against the United States and highlights a failure of the Obama administration to press China on its persistent cyber attacks.
Disclosure of the cyber attack also comes amid heightened tensions in Asia, as the Pentagon moved two U.S. aircraft carrier strike groups and Marine amphibious units near waters by Japans Senkaku islands.
China and Japanthe United States closest ally in Asia and a defense treaty partnerare locked in a heated maritime dispute over the Senkakus, which China claims as its territory.
U.S. officials familiar with reports of the White House hacking incident said it took place earlier this month and involved unidentified hackers, believed to have used computer servers in China, who accessed the computer network used by the White House Military Office (WHMO), the presidents military office in charge of some of the governments most sensitive communications, including strategic nuclear commands. The office also arranges presidential communications and travel, and inter-government teleconferences involving senior policy and intelligence officials.
This is the most sensitive office in the U.S. government, said a former senior U.S. intelligence official familiar with the work of the office. A compromise there would cause grave strategic damage to the United States.
Security officials are investigating the breach and have not yet determined the damage that may have been caused by the hacking incident, the officials said.
One defense official said there is fairly solid intelligence linking the penetration of the WHMO network to China, and there are indications that the attackers were able to breach the classified network.
Details of the cyber attack and the potential damage it may have caused remain closely held within the U.S. government.
However, because the military office handles strategic nuclear and presidential communications, officials said the attack was likely the work of Chinese military cyber warfare specialists under the direction of a unit called the 4th Department of General Staff of the Peoples Liberation Army, or 4PLA.
More here-> http://freebeacon.com/white-house-hack-attack/
One official said the cyber breach was one of Beijings most brazen cyber attacks against the United States and highlights a failure of the Obama administration to press China on its persistent cyber attacks.
Disclosure of the cyber attack also comes amid heightened tensions in Asia, as the Pentagon moved two U.S. aircraft carrier strike groups and Marine amphibious units near waters by Japans Senkaku islands.
China and Japanthe United States closest ally in Asia and a defense treaty partnerare locked in a heated maritime dispute over the Senkakus, which China claims as its territory.
U.S. officials familiar with reports of the White House hacking incident said it took place earlier this month and involved unidentified hackers, believed to have used computer servers in China, who accessed the computer network used by the White House Military Office (WHMO), the presidents military office in charge of some of the governments most sensitive communications, including strategic nuclear commands. The office also arranges presidential communications and travel, and inter-government teleconferences involving senior policy and intelligence officials.
This is the most sensitive office in the U.S. government, said a former senior U.S. intelligence official familiar with the work of the office. A compromise there would cause grave strategic damage to the United States.
Security officials are investigating the breach and have not yet determined the damage that may have been caused by the hacking incident, the officials said.
One defense official said there is fairly solid intelligence linking the penetration of the WHMO network to China, and there are indications that the attackers were able to breach the classified network.
Details of the cyber attack and the potential damage it may have caused remain closely held within the U.S. government.
However, because the military office handles strategic nuclear and presidential communications, officials said the attack was likely the work of Chinese military cyber warfare specialists under the direction of a unit called the 4th Department of General Staff of the Peoples Liberation Army, or 4PLA.
More here-> http://freebeacon.com/white-house-hack-attack/
