Researchers found Chinese hackers trying to access multiple agencies in Alaska.
As Alaskan leaders headed to China to discuss trade deals, Chinese hackers were swarming their US networks, security researchers said.
Researchers from Recorded Future said they discovered Chinese hackers targeting the Alaskan state government, as well as the state’s Department of Natural Resources and energy, telephone and communications companies.
The cybersecurity firm said it saw more than 1 million connections between Chinese hackers and Alaskan networks between April 6 and June 24.
These attacks happened as Alaska governor Bill Walker was promoting a trade mission to China, through which the state hoped to expand deals with its largest trading partner. The talks included a potential gas pipeline between Alaska and China, which was estimated to cost $43 billion.
Nation-state hackers have already infiltrated US power grids and millions of routers as cyberattacks give spies a new way to gather information. Unlike cybercriminal organizations, which can steal millions of dollars, state-backed hackers have the full resources of its government, and their attacks are often politically motivated.
In Alaska’s case, Recorded Future’s researchers said, the Chinese hackers were looking to gain an advantage during the trade talks. It’s unclear whether the Chinese hackers successfully breached any networks within the Alaskan agencies, but the large number of scans signal they were looking for any vulnerabilities they could use to gain access.
