Aussie defence data stolen by ‘China hackers’

Sydney, Oct. 12: Sensitive data about Australia’s F- 35 stealth fighter and P-8 surveillance aircraft programmes were stolen when a defence subcontractor was hacked using a tool widely used by Chinese cyber criminals, officials said on Thursday.

The 50-person aerospace engineering firm was compromised in July last year but the national cyber security agency, the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), only became aware of the breach in November, technology website ZDNet Australia reported.

Some 30GB of “sensitive data” subjected to restricted access under the US government’s International Traffic in Arms Regulations rules were stolen, ASD’s Mitchell Clarke told a security conference yesterday according to ZDNet.

Clarke, who worked on the case and did not name the subcontractor, said information about the F-35, the US’ latest generation of fighter jets, as well as the P8, an advanced submarine hunter and surveillance craft, were lifted.