

military technologies to new applications. The Sea Dragon project is an initiative of a special Pentagon office stood up in 2012 to adapt existing U.S. Stavridis had no independent knowledge of the breach. "So if it is true that this was a penetration of one of those very compartmented systems, that is a significant reversal for the United States," he said. "The United States consistently has been able to use highly compartmented security systems to protect its most innovative and dynamic defense advancements, and any time one of those is penetrated you give up an enormous advantage in surprise," said James Stavridis, dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and a retired admiral who served as supreme allied commander at NATO.
Trove hacks 2018 software#
Speaks said "it would be inappropriate to discuss further details at this time."Īltogether, details on hundreds of mechanical and software systems were compromised – a significant breach in a critical area of warfare that China has identified as a priority, both for building its own capabilities and challenging those of the United States. Bill Speaks said, "There are measures in place that require companies to notify the government when a 'cyber incident' has occurred that has actual or potential adverse effects on their networks that contain controlled unclassified information." The Navy is leading the investigation into the breach with the assistance of the FBI, officials said. The news comes as the Trump administration is seeking to secure Beijing's support in persuading North Korea to give up nuclear weapons, even as tensions persist between the United States and China over trade and defense matters. advantage in military technology and become the preeminent power in east Asia. The breach is part of China's long-running effort to blunt the U.S. The officials said the material, when aggregated, would be considered classified, a fact that raises concerns about the Navy's ability to oversee contractors tasked with developing cutting-edge weapons. The data stolen was of a highly sensitive nature despite being housed on the contractor's unclassified network. The Washington Post agreed to withhold certain details about the compromised missile project at the request of the Navy, which argued that their release could harm national security. Taken were 614 gigabytes of material relating to a closely held project known as Sea Dragon, as well as signals and sensor data, submarine radio room information relating to cryptographic systems, and the Navy submarine development unit's electronic warfare library. The officials did not identify the contractor. The hackers targeted a contractor who works for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, a military organization headquartered in Newport, Rhode Island, that conducts research and development for submarines and underwater weaponry. The breaches occurred in January and February, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

submarines by 2020, according to American officials. Bloomberrg photo by Justin ChinĬhinese government hackers have compromised the computers of a Navy contractor, stealing massive amounts of highly sensitive data related to undersea warfare – including secret plans to develop a supersonic anti-ship missile for use on U.S.


The Navy and the FBI are leading the investigation into the cybercrime.The People’s Liberation Army Liaoning aircraft carrier, bottom, sails past a container ship in Hong Kong on July 7, 2017. “I want to thank publicly President Xi of China, who has done more for us than he’s done for any other administration, or than any leader of China has done for any president or administration,” he said then.Ĭheck out: What Trump gets right (and wrong) on China Trump lavished praise on his Chinese counterpart in April. The cyberattacks are seen as part of China’s effort to become the dominant sea power in the Asian Pacific, and come as President Trump relies on Chinese President Xi Jinping to help negotiate an end to North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. The stolen data included secret information about a project known as “Sea Dragon,” as well as cryptographic systems and the Navy submarine development unit’s electronic warfare library, according to Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal reports.Ī spokesperson from the Chinese embassy in Washington said it had no knowledge of the attacks, the WSJ reported. The center conducts research and development for submarines and underwater weaponry.
