CANBERRA, May 28: Chinese hackers have stolen the blueprints of a new multi-million-dollar Australian spy headquarters as part of a growing wave of cyber attacks against business and military targets in the close US ally, a Australian news report said.
The hackers also stole confidential information from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which houses the overseas spy agency the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, Australia’s ABC Television said late yesterday.
The ABC report, which did not name sources, said Chinese hackers had targeted Australia-based companies more aggressively than previously thought, including steel-manufacturer Bluescope Steel, and military and civilian communications manufacturer Codan Ltd.
The influential Greens party today said the reported hacking was a ‘security blunder of epic proportions’ and called for an inquiry, but the government refused to confirm the security breach.
Foreign Minister Bob Carr said the report would not damage Canberra’s ties with its biggest trade partner China.
‘We have enormous areas of cooperation with China. I won’t comment on whether the Chinese have done what is being alleged or not,’ Carr told reporters today.
Hackers using a computer server traced to China had stolen floorplans of a new A 630 million dollar headquarters for the Australia Security Intelligence Organisation, the country’s domestic spy agency, said the ABC report.
The attack through the computers of a construction contractor exposed not only building layouts, but also the location of communication and computer networks, said the ABC.
(AGENCIES)
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