By Kevin Coleman – DefenseTech Cyber Warfare Correspondent
Cyber espionage just became an increased concern of cyber security professionals around the world. A sensitive, restricted government report on cyber attacks states that 86 percent of large Canadian corporations have been "hit" and that espionage hacking on the private sector has doubled in two years. The report went on to say that "Cyber-espionage attacks are causing considerable economic damage." That report isn’t the only one sounding the alarm. Cyber security threats are growing fast because of large, well-resourced organizations that significantly contribute to the malicious capabilities needed to carry out acts of cyber espionage targeting the secrets of businesses, defense contractors and the military.
Last week, the Sans Institute reportedly found as many as four instances of Stuxnet-like malware that was tailored to attack specific systems and said to seek sensitive intellectual property. Much like the Stuxnet attack on Iran’s nuclear program, the new incidents were well organized, methodical and appear to be well executed.
It was only a matter of time until spies attempted to leverage the highly successful Stuxnet attacks and malicious code as a model to carry out their acts of espionage around the world.
