US Researchers Claim of Finding Google Exploit Code Author

According to security researchers, they are convinced that an IT contractor is behind developing the China based programming code used to attack Google and other American companies. It is alleged that the attack was sponsored by China.

Soon after the US officials had tracked down the self-employed IT professional, it was found that he wrote a piece of malware which hijacked PCs and loaded spyware on them. According to reports, the malicious software helped to exploit an un-patched vulnerability in Internet Explorer. Later of course in January 2010 Microsoft fixed that vulnerability.

Besides, the reports disclosed that the malware creator wasn't employed by the government and he didn't participate in the assault. However, he posted the exploit on an online forum and the government of China was specially facilitated to access it.

The researchers stated that there was a possibility that after the Aurora exploit publication on the forum by the malware author, another attacker incorporated it into an assault.

Further, it is possible that the Chinese government might not involve in these assaults. The computers employed in the assaults might have themselves encountered hacks for turning them into gateways for the assaults.

Notably the news comes after information spread during the 3rd week of February 2010 that two Chinese schools were traced as the origins of the hacks. It was thought that the Lanxiant Vocational School that seemed to be associated with the Chinese army and the Shanghai Jiapong University owned the PCs with which the assaults were launched.

However, the Xinhua news agency, which the Chinese government controls, has termed the information as doubtful since the schools' spokespersons had rejected any involvement.

According to the researchers, the outcomes of the investigation are sure to increase furor over the January 2010 hacking attack, wherein Google claimed compromise of its systems.

Ever-since the cyber spying outbreak has been revealed, focus is on Chinese policies and technology security issues. Western specialists allege that the Chinese have been exploiting program bugs for theft of military together with commercial know-how.

Related article: US Passes Baton to Asia in Spam Relay

» SPAMfighter News - 3/4/2010