Proof of US hijacking, monitoring private accounts, emails: GT
The United States could head toward using its cyber warfare weapons to paralyze whole vital systems in several realms, as information shows that it is using its software indiscriminately around the globe, even against its allies.
The US National Security Agency is using a typical weapon to target China, Chinese cybersecurity experts unveiled for the first time, saying the NSA is using it to monitor and hijack users' social media accounts, emails, and communication information, the Global Times reported Tuesday.
According to the Chinese newspaper, internet security company, 360's findings are the second in less than a month to prove the NSA's ongoing large-scale international cyber operations targeting various countries around the world, particularly China.
A 360 report published Tuesday said Quantum attack was a cyber hijacking tool designed by the NSA to attack Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Amazon users, among many other sites, including Chinese Tencent's QQ social media platform.
Information obtained by the Global Times says the stolen data includes profiles, account passwords, private documents, databases, information about online friends, communications information, and emails, in addition to granting the attackers access to the targets' microphone and camera.
The Quantum attack system is the NSA's most powerful tool and one of its most important capability systems for cyber intelligence warfare, as it could hijack national network communications to carry out a series of complex network attacks.
The NSA's confidential documents, according to the Chinese outlet, show the details of how Quantum attack system monitors users' information on Yahoo, Facebook, and Hotmail, which makes for proof that the US is monitoring internet users around the world.
The NSA attacks users across the globe, including Washington's allies, through undifferentiated attacks from the US, which could not have been achieved without the support of a huge and complex network of cyber weapons platforms.
Chinese cybersecurity analysts also noted that the US cyber-warfare strategy may not be limited to cyber-theft, and Washington could head toward more ambitious endeavors.
They also warned that the US could use hardware or backdoor programs in their victims' devices and achieve remote control on targets, including military systems, servers in the field of national public security, and civil aviation transportation.