Computer hackers target NSW Department of Industry, Resources and Energy mining secrets
HACKERS have targeted the NSW government department in charge of sensitive mining approvals, in “criminal” attempts to access confidential information.
NSW
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COMPUTER hackers have targeted the NSW government department in charge of sensitive mining approvals, in what experts believe are “criminal” attempts to access confidential commercial information.
A spokesman for the NSW Department of Industry, Resources and Energy yesterday confirmed the attempted cyber attacks took place just before Christmas.
“In December, our IT systems noticed a marked increase in virus activity around our Maitland office,” he said.
“The attacks were identified by specialist software we have in place to detect breaches to our firewalls. Given the increased levels of activity, we took further steps to ensure our systems were protected.”
The department’s Maitland office oversees many of the approvals and other activity involving mining in NSW.
The attack comes at a time when a number of sensitive mining projects are at crucial stages, including China’s proposed $1.2 billion Shenhua Watermark coalmine in the agricultural heartland of NSW’s Liverpool Plains, and two key coal-seam gas projects in Narrabri and Gloucester.
The Shenhua mine, which would be operated by the Chinese government-owned Shenhua Overseas Development and Investment Company, continues to attract particular controversy.
It is facing a legal challenge from opponents, and even if this action fails, the project still remains subject to approval by the NSW government. The department hack has come in the wake of a number of other attacks on the websites of several state and federal government departments and agencies throughout Australia, most of which have been attributed to China.
The attack comes at a time when a number of sensitive mining projects are at crucial stages
Just two months ago, Chinese hackers were blamed for a significant cyber attack on the Bureau of Meteorology’s computers, which compromised sensitive systems providing critical information to a host of agencies.
China has also been cited as the source of a hack on classified blueprints of the new ASIO headquarters in Canberra, and for a cyber breach of Australia’s federal parliamentary computer network.
However, it is understood the NSW resources department has so far been unable to isolate whether the latest hack was local or international.
The spokesman did not comment on this aspect, but said: “We do not believe the attacks penetrated our systems, or that any data was accessed at this time.”
IT expert Paul Budde said viruses were often used to enable the hacking of websites.
“A virus is essentially software that can be programmed in a way to produce disruption, and through that disruption, hackers can gain access to computer systems,” he said. The nature of the attack implied an attempt to gain access to “sensitive information in relation to mining activity”, which had “commercial value”.
Mr Budde said this type of attack was happening “more and more”, but that the number of reported cases was “a fraction” of total activity.
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