China’s Alleged Cyberattack on the New York Times
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Cybersecurity is something of an oxymoron.
The story about alleged Chinese cyberattacks on the New York Times is a case in point.
The Times published a front-page story on Thursday that Chinese hackers repeatedly infiltrated its systems over four months this past fall.
It coincided with a Times investigation into the billions of dollars amassed by the family of Chinese premier Wen Jiabao.
Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer for the cyber security company F-Secure, says it fits the profile of other Chinese attacks.
"This was a targeted attack," says Hypponen. "They were after information, specifically journalists' contacts (in China)."
No-one can be sure what they got, adds Hypponen. "Even the Times may not know."
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