Cyber spying, or cyber espionage, is the act or practice of obtaining secrets and information without the permission and knowledge of the holder of the information from individuals, competitors, rivals, groups, governments and enemies for personal, economic, political or military advantage using methods on the Internet, networks or individual computers through the use of cracking techniques and malicious software including Trojan horses and spyware. It may wholly be perpetrated online from computer desks of professionals on bases in far away countries or may involve infiltration at home by computer trained conventional spies and moles or in other cases may be the criminal handiwork of amateur malicious hackers and software programmers.
Details
Cyber spying typically involves the use of such access to secrets and classified information or control of individual computers or whole networks for a strategic advantage and for psychological, political and physical subversion activities and sabotage. More recently, cyber spying involves analysis of public activity on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Such operations, like non-cyber espionage, are typically illegal in the victim country while fully supported by the highest level of government in the aggressor country. The ethical situation likewise depends on one's viewpoint, particularly one's opinion of the governments involved.
In response to reports of cyber spying by China against the United States, Amitai Etzioni of the Institute for Communitarian Policy Studies has suggested that China and the United States should agree to a policy of mutually assured restraint with respect to cyberspace. This would involve allowing both states to take the measures they deem necessary for their self-defense while simultaneously agreeing to refrain from taking offensive steps or engaging in cyber espionage; it would also entail vetting these commitments. In September 2015, the United States and China agreed not to allow parties in their nations to cyberspy on each other for commercial gain, but did not prohibit government spying.
The Dukes, a well-resourced, highly dedicated and organized cyberespionage group that F-Secure believe has been working for the Russian Federation since at least 2008.
See also
- Chaos Computer Club
- Chinese intelligence operations in the United States
- Computer surveillance
- Computer insecurity
- Cyber-collection
- Cyberwarfare
- Cyber-security regulation
- Espionage
- Employee monitoring software
- GhostNet
- Industrial espionage
- Proactive Cyber Defence
- Surveillance
- Titan Rain
References
Sources
- Bill Schiller, Asia Bureau (Apr 1, 2009), "Chinese ridicule U of T spy report - But government officials choose words carefully, never denying country engages in cyber-espionage", Toronto Star (Canada), Toronto, Ontario, Canada, retrieved 2009-04-04Â
- Kelly, Cathal (Mar 31, 2009), "Cyberspies' code a click away - Simple Google search quickly finds link to software for Ghost Rat program used to target governments", Toronto Star (Canada), Toronto, Ontario, Canada, retrieved 2009-04-04Â
- All about Chinese cyber spying, infotech.indiatimes.com (Times of India), March 30, 2009, retrieved 2009-04-01Â
- Cooper, Alex (March 30, 2009), "We can lead in cyber spy war, sleuth says; Toronto investigator helped expose hacking of embassies, NATO", Toronto Star (Canada), Toronto, Ontario, Canada, retrieved 2009-03-31Â
- Chinese-based cyber spy network exposes need for better securityÂ
- Steve Herman (30 March 2009), Exiled Tibetan Government Expresses Concern over Cyber-Spying Traced to China, New Delhi: GlobalSecurity.org, retrieved 2009-03-31Â
- "Chinese government accused of cyber spying", Belfast Telegraph, 30 March 2009Â
- Patrick Goodenough, International Editor (March 30, 2009), China Rejects Cyber Spying Allegations; ‘Dalai Lama Propaganda’, CNSNews.com, archived from the original on March 31, 2009, retrieved 2009-03-31 CS1 maint: Extra text: authors list (link)
- Harvey, Mike (March 29, 2009), "'World's biggest cyber spy network' snoops on classified documents in 103 countries", The Times, London, retrieved 2009-03-30Â
- Major cyber spy network uncovered, BBC News, 29 March 2009, retrieved 2009-03-30Â
- SciTech Cyber spy network 'smoking gun' for China: expert, CTV Canada, March 29, 2009, retrieved 2009-03-30Â
- Kim Covert (March 28, 2009), "Canadian researchers uncover vast Chinese cyber spy network", National Post, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada, Canwest News ServiceÂ
- US warned of China 'cyber-spying', BBC News, 20 November 2008, retrieved 2009-04-01Â
- Mark Hosenball (June 2, 2008), "Intelligence - Cyber-Spying for Dummies", NewsweekÂ
- Walton, Gregory (April 2008). "Year of the Gh0st RAT". World Association of Newspapers. Retrieved 2009-04-01.Â
- German court limits cyber spying, BBC News, 27 February 2008Â
- Rowan Callick; Jane Macartney (December 7, 2007), "Chinese fury at cyber spy claims", The AustralianÂ
External links
- Congress to Investigate Google Charges Of Chinese Internet Spying (AHN)
- Archive of Information Warfare Monitor - Tracking Cyberpower (University of Toronto, Canada/Munk Centre)