China hacks into US advanced weapons systems designs

Chiniese hackers have accesed designs of many of Americas most sensitive advanced weapons systems,including programmes critical to missile defences,a US report has said.

According to a report prepared for the Pentagon,among more than two dozen major weapons systems whose designs were breached were programmes critical to US missile defenses and combat aircraft and ships.

A previously undisclosed section of a confidential report prepared for Pentagon leaders by the Defence Science Board did not accuse the Chinese of stealing the designs,Washington Post reported.

But senior military and industry officials with knowledge of the breaches said the vast majority were part of a widening Chinese campaign of espionage against US defense contractors and government agencies.

Experts warn that the electronic intrusions gave China access to advanced technology that could accelerate the development of its weapons systems and weaken the US military advantage in a future conflict.

Some of the weapons form the backbone of the Pentagons regional missile defense for Asia,Europe and the Persian Gulf were included in the report.

The designs included those for the advanced Patriot missile system,known as PAC-3; an Army system for shooting down ballistic missiles,known as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense,or THAAD; and the Navys Aegis ballistic-missile defense system.

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The list also includes the most expensive weapons system ever built the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter,which is on track to cost about 1.4 trillion.

8230; and Strikes Australias new spy hub plan too

Chinese hackers have allegedly stolen classified blueprints of the new headquarters of Australias top spy agency. A computer system containing the information about the new intelligence Canberra-based hub of Australia Security Intelligence Organisation ASIO was illegally accessed by a server in China,according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporations investigative Four Corners programme Monday.

The blueprints,that included floor plans and the locations of communications cabling,servers and security systems in the building,were taken in an operation targeting a contractor involved with building the project,the ABC said,without revealing the source of its claim. It reeked of an espionage operation. Someone had mounted a cyber hit on a contractor involved in the site, the report said.