FBI Probing Claims China Stole Data On ‘Highly Sensitive’ US Security Project
The United States (US) Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has launched an investigation into reports that the Chinese government hacked a US Navy contractor and stole highly sensitive security data, according to media reports.
Among the data stolen are plans for a supersonic missile project, US officials were quoted as saying by the Washington Post.
Another media outlet, CBS News says it confirmed that the cyberattacks occurred in January and February this year.
According to the Washington Post, officials confirmed that the Navy contractor had been working for the Naval Undersea Warfare Centre, a military organisation based in Newport, Rhode Island.
They indicated that among the material accessed were data relating to a project known as Sea Dragon, as well as information held within the navy submarine development unit’s electronic warfare library.
Plans included an anti-ship missile system to be installed on US submarines by 2020.
While the data was stored on an unclassified network belonging to the contractor, it is considered highly sensitive due to the nature of the technology under development and the links to military projects.