Latest news with #China-linked
Observer
3 days ago
- Observer
Singapore facing 'serious' cyberattack, says minister
Singapore - Singapore is dealing with a "serious" cyberattack against its critical infrastructure by a highly sophisticated entity linked by industry experts to China, the country's coordinating minister for national security said. The attack, part of a sophisticated level of cyber hacks called advanced persistent threats (APTs), poses a danger to Singapore and could undermine national security, K. Shanmugam disclosed in a speech late on Friday. "I can say that it is serious and it is ongoing. And it has been identified to be UNC3886," said Shanmugam, who is also the Home Affairs Minister. Shanmugam did not disclose the group's sponsors, but UNC3886 has been pinpointed by Mandiant, a cybersecurity firm owned by Google, as a China-linked cyber espionage group involved in global attacks. "Even as we speak, UNC3886 is attacking our critical infrastructure right now," he said, adding that Singapore's Cyber Security Agency (CSA) and relevant authorities were dealing with the problem. APTs are highly sophisticated and well-resourced actors that typically steal sensitive information and disrupt essential services such as healthcare, telecom, water, transport, and power, Shanmugam said. "If it succeeds, it can conduct espionage and it can cause major disruption to Singapore and Singaporeans," Shanmugam warned. A successful breach of Singapore's power system, for example, could disrupt electricity supply and have knock-on effects on essential services such as healthcare and transport. "There are also economic implications. Our banks, airports, and industries would not be able to operate. Our economy can be substantially affected," he said. He said that between 2021 and 2024, suspected APTs against Singapore increased more than fourfold. A cyber breach on a public healthcare cluster in 2018 accessed the medication records of about 160,000 patients, including then-prime minister Lee Hsien Loong. The attack on Singapore's critical infrastructure "highlights the extraordinary challenges posed by APT actors," said Satnam Narang, senior staff research engineer at US-based cybersecurity firm Tenable. "Combating such stealthy opponents is becoming increasingly demanding as the scale and complexity of IT infrastructure that organisations and nations must defend continues to grow," he said. mba/jhe/fox
The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
Singapore facing 'serious' cyberattack, says minister
Singapore is dealing with a "serious" cyberattack against its critical infrastructure by a highly sophisticated entity linked by industry experts to China, the country's coordinating minister for national security said. The attack, part of a sophisticated level of cyber hacks called advanced persistent threats (APTs), poses a serious danger to Singapore and could undermine national security, K. Shanmugam disclosed in a speech late on Friday. "I can say that it is serious and it is ongoing. And it has been identified to be UNC3886," said Shanmugam, who is also the home affairs minister. Shanmugam did not disclose the group's sponsors, but UNC3886 has been pinpointed by Mandiant, a cybersecurity firm owned by Google, as a China-linked cyber espionage group involved in global attacks. "Even as we speak, UNC3886 is attacking our critical infrastructure right now," he said, adding that Singapore's Cyber Security Agency (CSA) and relevant authorities were dealing with the problem. APTs are highly sophisticated and well-resourced actors that typically steal sensitive information and disrupt essential services such as healthcare, telecom, water, transport and power, Shanmugam said. "If it succeeds, it can conduct espionage and it can cause major disruption to Singapore and Singaporeans," Shanmugam warned. A successful breach of Singapore's power system, for example, could disrupt electricity supply and have knock-on effects on essential services such as healthcare and transport. "There are also economic implications. Our banks, airports and industries would not be able to operate. Our economy can be substantially affected," he said. He said that between 2021 and 2024, suspected APTs against Singapore increased more than fourfold. A cyber breach on a public healthcare cluster in 2018 accessed the medication records of about 160,000 patients, including then-prime minister Lee Hsien Loong. The attack on Singapore's critical infrastructure "highlights the extraordinary challenges posed by APT actors," said Satnam Narang, senior staff research engineer at U.S.-based cybersecurity firm Tenable. "Combating such stealthy opponents is becoming increasingly demanding as the scale and complexity of IT infrastructure that organisations and nations must defend continues to grow," he said.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
How China's growing cyber-hacking capabilities have raised alarm around the world
Find out what's new on ST website and app. China's government has consistently denied that they have sponsored such attacks. - In October 2024, US authorities said that a China-linked cyber group called Salt Typhoon was targeting critical American infrastructure, including major telecommunications operators. The aim was to obtain private communications of US President Donald Trump and his then running mate JD Vance, as well as communications made by staffers of Ms Kamala Harris's presidential campaign in 2024.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Singapore faces serious cyberattack on critical infrastructure
SINGAPORE: The government has confirmed a 'serious' cyberattack targeting critical infrastructure, with authorities attributing the breach to a sophisticated China-linked hacking group. Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam revealed the ongoing threat during a late Friday address, identifying the perpetrators as UNC3886—a cyber espionage unit previously flagged by Google-owned cybersecurity firm Mandiant. 'Even as we speak, UNC3886 is attacking our critical infrastructure right now,' Shanmugam stated, emphasizing the severity of the advanced persistent threat (APT). The group's operations risk compromising national security by disrupting essential services, including power grids, healthcare networks, and transportation systems. The minister highlighted the potential cascading effects of a successful breach, noting, 'Our banks, airports, and industries would not be able to operate. Our economy can be substantially affected.' Between 2021 and 2024, suspected APT incidents in Singapore surged over fourfold, underscoring escalating cyber warfare risks. A 2018 cyber intrusion into a public healthcare cluster, which exposed medication records of 160,000 patients—including former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong—was cited as a precedent. Satnam Narang of Tenable warned that defending against such stealthy, well-resourced adversaries is 'increasingly demanding' as digital infrastructure expands. The Cyber Security Agency (CSA) is actively countering the threat, though Shanmugam withheld details on mitigation strategies. Industry analysts stress that UNC3886's tactics align with long-term espionage campaigns, often targeting governmental and industrial data. - AFP
Canada News.Net
3 days ago
- Business
- Canada News.Net
Researchers: Hackers with China ties hit Taiwan chip supply
SUNNYVALE, California: Cyber espionage groups aligned with China have ramped up targeted attacks on Taiwan's semiconductor sector and industry analysts, according to new research released by cybersecurity firm Proofpoint. The analysis outlines an uptick in hacking campaigns between March and June, with activity from at least three China-linked groups, some of which remains ongoing. The intrusions are part of a broader effort to gather intelligence on Taiwan's chip industry as tensions rise over U.S. export controls and China's efforts to develop domestic semiconductor alternatives. "We've seen entities that we hadn't ever seen being targeted in the past being targeted," said Mark Kelly, a threat researcher at Proofpoint, based out of Sunnyvale, California. The campaigns have focused on 15 to 20 organizations, including small companies, global enterprises, and investment analysts, some working at a central U.S.-headquartered bank. The researchers declined to name the specific targets or confirm whether any attempts were successful. Hackers used varied techniques. In one case, attackers used compromised Taiwanese university email accounts to pose as job seekers, sending malicious PDFs or password-protected files to employees at semiconductor design and manufacturing firms. Another group posed as a fake investment firm targeting analysts focused on Taiwan's chip market. Proofpoint did not specify the companies affected, but Taiwan is home to major chipmakers including TSMC, MediaTek, UMC, Nanya, and RealTek. Most firms declined to comment or did not respond. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington said China opposes all forms of cybercrime and is also a victim of such threats. Taiwanese cybersecurity firm TeamT5 confirmed an increase in email-based attacks but noted they weren't yet widespread. It emphasized that semiconductors have long been a "constant interest" for advanced China-linked hacking groups. TeamT5 also cited a June case where a group called Amoeba targeted a chemical company tied to the semiconductor supply chain, highlighting hackers' interest in peripheral industries as well.
